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Perceptor (G1)

2010-08-07T14:01:01Z

125.237.143.160: /* Victory cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Perceptor}}
:''Perceptor is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Perceptor reissueart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Back off, man. I'm a scientist."]]
'''Perceptor''' is a scientist, one of the most astute minds the whole of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] can offer. He is perpetually seeking to increase knowledge, and his discoveries have repeatedly proven invaluable. Though his specialties lie in metallurgy, electrical engineering, and additional sciences closely concomitant to Transformer physiology, his thirst for knowledge has made him a kind of scientific jack-of-all-trades.

One of Perceptor's most infamous mannerisms is his tendency to engage in verbal communication using scientific terminology. This has the unforeseen result of exasperating and occasionally frustrating his comrades. One might hypothesize that the jovial mechanoid is unaware that not everyone with whom he seeks to communicate shares his extensive vocabulary.

Engaging in physical melee is not his preferred activity. He is content to make his contributions to the Autobot cause in the manner in which he deems sufficient, but will engage in combat if the situation requires. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] often relies on Perceptor's perspicacity, and considers him as inestimable as any of his officers.

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Percepto'''
:''Italian name'': '''Supervista''' ("Super-sight")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Észlelő'''
:''Victory [[Omni Productions]] dub name'': '''Doctor Baster'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Paul Eiding]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama|Chikao Shiroyama]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Microbots shrink.JPG|thumb|right|200px|All my tubes and wires and careful notes!]]

Perceptor appeared on [[Earth]] during a period of time occurring after the initial impact of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] into the planet. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} It is unknown exactly when he had arrived, but the malfunctions he suffered during the [[Cybertonium]] depletion crisis would lead one to conclude that he had been present when the Ark crashed onto prehistoric Earth during the encounter wih the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During his period of habitation on that planetary body, he experienced a myriad of adventures. Included in that scope were incidents such as reconfiguring his mass ratio to a microscopic scale using the [[transmat reduction beam]] in order to sever the connection of the [[Heart of Cybertron]] to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s body. Upon doing so, he proceeded to dispose of the object by having [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] throw the volatile energy source approximately two thousand feet into the sky and shooting it with his mobile cannon mode. {{storylink|Microbots}}

When Megatron perpetrated an egregious assault on the Autobots' reputation and had them forcibly expelled from their residency on Earth, Perceptor was indubitably among their number. A fortuitous sequence of events allowed the Autobots to return to their former planetary location and extradict the Decepticons from their dominion over the [[human]]s. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} During another adventure, a series of aberrant mechanical malfunctions began afflicting the Autobots. Perceptor was incapable of altering from his microscope configuration, and expeditiously determined that the complication was a depletion of [[Cybertonium]]. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During a constitutional along a seaboard, Perceptor, [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] were assailed by an assortment of Decepticons. Remarkably, [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] appeared impervious to damage, and both Perceptor and Seaspray were captured and escorted to the submerged Decepticon headquarters. With the inclusion of Beachcomber, the three Autobots were able to effect an adequate escape and rejoin their cohorts in time to confront the [[Electrum]]-coated Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

In an endeavor to assist [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], who had run into difficulty on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], one of [[Saturn]]'s attendant moons, Perceptor and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] traversed space in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Although Omega's energy was depleted by the journey, Perceptor was able to locate a prodigious accumulation of [[energy crystal]]s, with which he subsequently reenergized Omega, allowing them to repel the Decepticon invaders and effect a peregrination back to Earth. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}

[[Image:G1 cartoon Perceptor Pencil sword.JPG|left|200px|thumb|The pen...cil is mightier than the sword!]]

On another occasion, Perceptor and an assemblage of Autobots and Decepticons were propelled across the interstellar void by the [[space bridge]], landing on an unexplored world in which Cybertronian lifeforms were minuscule in relation to the immense indigenous population. After a series of alarming endangerments, Perceptor determined that a toy rocket ship possessed by the boy [[Aron]], whose abode they had happened into, could be modified to return the Autobots home. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} Calamitously, their mode of transport was intercepted by an alien named [[Bosch]], who utilised a mechanism to place the Autobots in a submissive state, intending to barter them for energon. [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] was eventually able to emancipate Perceptor and his fellows with the assistance of the bounty hunter [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Examining a sample of extraterrestrial matter transported to Earth on [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s back, Perceptor was able to ascertain that Cosmos had inadvertently imported [[Morphobot]]s, a genus of robotic flora which consumed mechanical life. His exhortation was sufficient to save Cosmos and the Morphobots were soon dispatched to a more suitable biosphere; however, the sample he had acquired had also propagated to the point where it threatened to consume him along with his laboratory. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

Perceptor's spectrographic analysis of an ore sample determined that the asteroid from which it originated was, in fact, alive. In an unfortunate turn of events, Optimus Prime had just commanded Omega Supreme to obliterate said asteroid. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Yet another enterprise took Perceptor to a world inhabited by transforming organic creatures who had been enslaved by the Decepticons. He assisted in liberating the [[Tlalakan]]s, and was subsequently bemused by Bumblebee's notion that they should make a wish on the first stellar object they sighted. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Perceptor kick.JPG|thumb|right|200px|I don't believe it! There she goes again! She's tidied up and I can't find anything!]]

He also synthesized a panacea to remedy all corrosion, with the appellation [[corrostop]], and was decorated by the humans for his ingenuity. Megatron also coveted his assistance, but for a dire emergency — the Decepticon had become afflicted by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] and it transpired that corrostop was the only counteragent. Not content with merely being ameliorated, Megatron exploited Perceptor in a machination to infect the Autobots with Cosmic Rust, and all sources of [[Ingredient X]], an imperative component of corrostop, had been exhausted. Perceptor and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] labored to make the [[matter duplicator]] operational so that more corrostop could be constituted and the Autobots saved. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

Perceptor and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] discovered a disquieting fact — that an aberrant disruption emanating from Cybertron was causing a shift in Earth's orbit, resulting in the planet's imminent collision with the nearest stellar body! The Autobots and Decepticons were forced to collaborate to avoid destruction in the [[Sun]]; however, the Insecticons masticated the space bridge controls, rendering the possibility of its use dubious. With donated components, Perceptor repaired the space bridge and dispatched the amalgamated force to Cybertron to subjugate the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Rumblevsperceptor.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I can smell the chemicals!]]

Perceptor's actions continued to be of intrinsic strategic import, particularly following the distinct tactical deficiencies during the [[battle of Autobot City]] that resulted in the expiration of Wheeljack, and pointing out that "gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities" as the Autobots fled Earth. As a member of Ultra Magnus's company, he was marooned on planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he contended with the indigenous race of mechanisms, designated [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. During the decisive battle against [[Unicron]], Perceptor was stationed aboard the Junkion vessel when Unicron crushed it in his grasp, though fortunately was not a casualty of the catastrophe and could later be distinguished celebrating the antagonist's defeasance. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Perceptor had a mission of paramount importance and tasked it to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. After the Galactic Olympics were disrupted by unknown assailants, he examined some debris but was unable to determine the exact nature of the attackers. He proposed he accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] on an undertaking to investigate the Decepticons, but Rodimus elected to procure [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s abetment instead. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Perceptor later valiantly defended Cybertron against Decepticon intrusion. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

The inexplicable resurrection of Optimus Prime led Perceptor and the rest of the Autobots on a mission of retaliation against the [[Quintesson]]s for the supposed termination of a selection of Autobots, including Rodimus Prime. When it transpired that a shuttle Optimus commanded the Autobots fire on in fact contained their still-functioning comrades, Perceptor was all too happy to arrest the ill-fated assault. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

[[Image:G1 ForeverIsALongTime Pipes Rodimus Perceptor.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]

On a second entanglement with the Quintessons, Perceptor was incapacitated early in the conflict and unable to prevent several of his fellow Autobots from traversing a [[Time Window|chronal displacement aperture]] to Cybertron's distant past. Although [[Pipes]] was an adequate physician, Perceptor regained normal function subsequent to the resolution of the situation. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After [[Fort Knox]] dematerialized, a preliminary examination by Perceptor of [[energon cube]]s discovered at the locale indicated they were contaminated with [[Dinosaur transform static]]. Further analysis indicated the cubes were of Decepticon manufacture, exonerating the Dinobots and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Tracing the point of origin to [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]], the Autobots located the appropriated architecture and liberated the country from the habitation of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

Perceptor was part of an ambush set for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] when the incorporeal spirit of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessed [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} When Wheelie and the [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Spike's immature offspring]] developed curiosity over Ultra Magnus's construction date, they consulted Perceptor, who suggested they scrutinize the [[Hall of Records]], unaware of the endangerment the pair would soon face. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Investigating another disappearance on the part of Daniel, this time complemented by Grimlock, Perceptor operated a Quintesson contrivance which transposed a rescue party to the domain of [[Menonia]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} While excavating [[isodrite]] in an asteroid belt, a team of Autobots was beleaguered by Decepticons, however as Perceptor observed, Galvatron was wreaking more havoc with his own troops than the Autobots. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[Image:CarnageCMinor Perceptor microscope.jpg|thumb|left|200px|That's not where you look into a microscope, Hot Spot.]]
Perceptor's calculations later tracked the Decepticons down to a comet, where the blackguards were installing an apparatus to propel it into [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. During the altercation, a resonance of extreme amplitude disrupted proceedings, causing all present to expeditiously descent towards a nearby planetary body named [[Eurythma]]. As the Decepticons prepared to resume hostilities, Perceptor dismantled [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] with one discharge of his artillery mode. He proceeded to participate in a diversionary engagement while Ultra Magnus and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] contacted the indigenous sentient life who communicated entirely in melody. {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

Detecting an aberrant semaphore on a Quintesson frequency, Perceptor allocated the mission to Sky-Lynx, Blaster and [[Outback]]. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} He later oversaw the installation of a new power core on Cybertron. Not long after this occurrence, Galvatron unleashed a [[Dweller|grotesque monstrosity]] with the ability to metamorphose Transformers into energy vampires. Perceptor not only formulated a remedy involving the infusing of a plethora of energy, but was able to effect the catharsis of the Dweller from Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} He was equivalently successful in restoring Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to their mechanoid forms after they were transplanted into organic bodies. {{storylink|Only Human}}

[[Image:PerceptorNijika01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Memoirs of a tiny alien robot geisha with a male alien robot's transplanted brain]]
During the instatement of another power generator, Perceptor expressed a desire for an increase in the Dinobots' brainpower, to which Grimlock responded with a aggressive exclamation regarding his fist and Perceptor's cranium. Malfunctions caused by strange energy emanating from the generator resulted in Grimlock's intelligence being increased manifold, outstripping even Perceptor's own acumen. The Autobots journeyed to Unicron's skull in orbit around Cybertron, where they were incapacitated by [[anti-electron]]s. Providentially, Grimlock was able to construct a brigade of [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s to salvage the situation. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

During one of his final known excursions with Rodimus, Perceptor plummeted onto an [[Zamojin (planet)|alien world]] in a state of [[transformation paralysis]]. What's worse, his [[universal emulator]] was taken from his body and transplanted into the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] construct called [[Nijika]], which resulted in Perceptor's consciousness taking up residence within that form. All things considered, he took it quite well, and his alterations to the emulator resulted in the Quintessons inadvertently extricating the world from its incarceration. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Fight! Super Robot Lifeform manga=====
=====Victory cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masaharu Satō]] (Japanese)

Perceptor, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Minerva]] were summoned, called forth, or otherwise sought out by [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] to save, preserve, and defend the life of the critically damaged and weakened [[Ginrai]]. They succeeded, converting the former [[Transtector]] into the mighty [[Victory Leo]].{{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Later when Victory Leo's programing was going haywire Preceptor explaned to Jean that his curcits were not completly kicked in yet.{{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} When [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] desined a missile system to keep the Autobots at bay, Star Saber told him the only way to stop him was to combine with Victory Leo. At first he refused to let it happen but Star Saber changed his mind.{{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} Later Preceptor was seen in a ship headded off Earth but Wheeljack and Minerva were not seen going with him but thats what most likely happened. {{storylink|Jean - Defend the Campus!!}}

=====Japanese ''Generation 2'' story pages=====
[[Image:G2StoryPageWheeljackPerceptor1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Look at him, all tiny back there.]]
Perceptor, along with Wheeljack and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], discovered [[Reconfiguration Matrix|new properties]] of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime subsequent to a crushing defeat by Megatron. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 4}}
{{-}}

=====Teletraan Go! Go! comics=====
[[Image:TGGPerceptor1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The doctor is in...sane.]]
Sent to gather data on Perceptor, [[Teletraan 15]] found him giggling creepily over a microchip and telling it that it was time for its check-up.

[[Image:TGGPerceptor2.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Wheeee!]]As she recoiled in horror, Perceptor's tone became clinical and, retracting his faceplate, he demanded that she identify herself. After Teletraan 15 recorded her notes on the Autobot scientist, he transformed into his seldom-seen mobile battle mode and took her for a ride... whether she wanted it or not.
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
On Cybertron, Perceptor was often considered an officer or otherwise highly ranked personage by other Cybertronic life forms in the vicinity, inspiring in the aforementioned others a tendency to view him as a "commander" of a faction of Autobots who engaged in armed conflict against localized enemy forces until such a point as the aforementioned combat unit, or the surviving portions thereof, crossed the multidimensional warp system for transport, otherwise known as the Space Bridge, to join the forces based on the planetary body known to the overwhelming majority of those of his species who had shifted their operations to its locality as Earth. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} His most recent appearance had him suffering from defective circuits in the Arctic, preventing him fom detecting the presence of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] of the [[Tentakil (G1)|multipod variety]]. He was later listed as deactivated for a somewhat extended period of time, by human standards if not by those of his species, by the opposing faction (as judged by an outside observer who insists on a binary classification system) as a result of the [[Underbase]] conflict, so named for the goal of the conflict, a legendary storehouse of Cybertronic knowledge. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In a parallel junction of quantum-temporal values, Perceptor aided his fellow residents of [[Autobot City]] in the initiation of combat proceedings against unwanted [[Quintesson]] visitors possessing acutely nefarious intent. Unfortunately, said combat proceedings proved to be incapable of properly sustaining the necessary level of applied force to rebuke and rebuff the forward progress of the invading hostile xeno-biological entities, leading to a cessation of proper operating status for Perceptor and several of his Autobot co-actors. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

''One solar-terrestrial revolution cycle later, Perceptor again responded to the presence of hostile activities when an Autobot interstellar transport shuttle made a sudden and disastrous relocation from space to earth at velocities far exceeding safety protocols. At the shuttle's location, Perceptor fell into a paradoxical situation necessitating that the Autobots save their commander [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] from his own disparate mental status. {{storylink|White Fire}}''

====Generation 2====
Perceptor did not engage in random fisticuffs and altercations with the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], for that would most emphatically be in a milieu of activity not of his preference. Alternatively, he participated in an expedition of a scientific nature to the lunar orbiting body of [[J'asik]] to determine what nefarious entity had structurally destabilized the populace at a molecular level. His findings unveiled astonishing and almost inarticulable obfuscations from deep in the Cybertronian past. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

===Universe: The Wreckers===
Perceptor counseled [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] against making a leadership decision that, when one considers both the opinions of observers that are generally regarded as wise, to such an extent as observers with finite capacity for knowledge can comprehend the infinite, and the final results of the decision in question, could be regarded as less than optimal.

Knowing the commander in question many of those reading this documentation may surmise the result... {{storylink|Betrayal}}

===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics continuity===
Perceptor was again held to be an officer or leader, a position he occupied with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], among a group of underground Autobots on Cybertron after the unexpected return of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who had disappeared along with Optimus Prime many years ago in an early [[space bridge]] test, commanding the [[Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]-form drones. The combat efficiency of these Air Warriors, as they were also known, led to a Decepticon conquest of Cybertron, as well as the enslavement of many Autobots. During this period, Perceptor theorized that if Megatron had survived the space bridge explosion, one could logically conclude that Optimus Prime also survived. At a base appropriately designated the [[Think Tank]], Perceptor designed and built a device intended to locate Optimus Prime. Before a proper test of the device could be conducted, Perceptor's group managed to capture an Air Warrior, with the intentions of examining its systems with the hope of finding an effective counter measure against the drones. {{storylink|War Within: The Age of Wrath}} Unfortunately, financial irregularities on the part of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Pat Lee|President]] resulted in the company filing for Chapter 11, where it currently remains in Bankruptcy court to this day, precluding any possible end to the story at this time.

Millions of years after the aforementioned events, Perceptor again allied with a group of Autobots who opposed the oppressive regime of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but these activities were covert in nature and he publicly remained a respected Autobot scientist. He presented evidence of Shockwave's unorthodox experiments on various Transformers, as well as the fact that Cybertron's spatial coordinates seemed to have changed, to the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. The High Council was unwilling to take any constitutional action against Shockwave, over feelings of gratitude for his assistance in restoring the peace, even after they were verbally accosted by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Ultimately, any censure or movement against Shockwave was discontinued due to a rampage on the part of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. After Optimus Prime escaped custody and united the various resistance movements, Perceptor participated in the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]'s offensive against [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's fortifications]] within Hub Capital Iacon. He also helped to repair [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], commander of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], despite the latter's well known bias against intellectuals. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
In the year 1985, Perceptor and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] hastily took off for [[Earth]] in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel, despite Perceptor's protests. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of [[Oregon]] near [[Mount St. Hilary]]. They were discovered there by a [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] team led by [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]. {{storylink|Targets of Opportunity}}

{{note|Due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy, Blaster and Perceptor's motivations for coming to Earth - and pretty much anything else - were never revealed.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Perceptor accompanied [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Teletran 3]], where he providing covering fire for Magnus and captured [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] with an energy rope. He then tapped into Teletran 3 and learned that it had transported a random number of Cybertronians into various points in [[Earth]]'s timeline, which would cause a temporal feedback that would destroy the planet unless they were retrieved. Thankfully, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] were happy to save their planet, and Perceptor operated Teletran 3 to send them after the missing Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} After that, all he could do was wait inside the slowly dying force field erected around Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} Unfortunately, the field went down before all the rescue teams had returned, and the Autobots were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who taunted Perceptor as he allowed his Earth-destruction scenario to play out. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} It was not to be, however, as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were retrieved from Earth's distant past and ripped Shockwave's forces apart, saving Perceptor and the other prisoners. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

Some time later, Perceptor was sent to [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] on Earth to oversee the decommissioning of Cybertronian technology along with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Before he had time to do much other than greet [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] and deliver a message from Optimus Prime, the facility came under attack by Cobra, and Perceptor had to help fight them off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} Bumblebee went missing during the battle, and the Autobots followed his [[energy signature]] to the lowest areas of Area 52, only to find the head of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], deactivated two years earlier. Perceptor was outraged that the humans had been experimenting with something so dangerous, but [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] insisted that he had been completely unaware. As it turned out, Megatron's remains had been used to make the dangerous and hostile [[Serpentor|Serpent Organic Robot]], who forced the [[G.I. Joe battle mech|Joes' mech suits]] to fight against Perceptor and the other Autobots before warping to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

The Autobots and Joes followed him, and Perceptor called [[Capitol City]] for reinforcements before discovering the movement signals of several [[cannibalizer]]s around them. They escaped from the monstrosities, only to run straight into Serpent O.R.'s newly recruited Decepticon army, who captured them before Perceptor's reinforcements had time to arrive. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} They were eventually freed thanks to [[Snake-Eyes]]'s ninja tricks. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} While fighting their way out of the Decepticon base, the Autobots learned that Serpent O.R. had also captured Optimus Prime, and they went to rescue him. When they arrived, Serpent O.R.'s body had been transformed by the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and was now being controlled by [[Cobra Commander]]. The Cobra leader used his tentacles to smash Perceptor's shoulder to pieces, and with a cry of "Goodness!", the scientist was taken out of action. After Cobra Commander was defeated by Hawk, Perceptor listened to [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] tell funny stories about [[Barbecue]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Perceptor served on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], acting as a peer to acting-commander [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]. He appeared to know [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] of old, and helped him with his investigation. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

[[Image:SpotlightBlaster Perceptor whitestatic.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cut the crap, Perceptor, and just get the cable back up!]]
He later transferred aboard the ''[[Ark-17]]'', along with [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and others in a mission to rescue an insane [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] from the crystal planet. Perceptor voiced the general consensus of those who had embarked upon the voyage to attempt to dissuade Springer of the less than optimal, considering resource allotment, military operation he had accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

Kup was eventually rescued and taken to [[Kimia Facility]] where Perceptor and the scientists there helped repair Kup using [[Pretender]] technology. Overseeing the operation, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] also had Perceptor secretly install subroutines into Kup that would allow Prowl to have control over the old codger. Though Perceptor opposed this, he followed his orders. Perceptor also was assigned to Kup's unit to keep a supply of [[cigar|cy-gar]]s handy to keep Kup sane. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Everything in Its Right Place|Everything in Its Right Place}}

Perceptor later accompanied Kup on a mission to rescue some captured [[Wrecker]]s and was badly injured during the operation, but was saved by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}} After healing from his injuries, Perceptor decided to make some upgrades to his body, making him more useful as a warrior. He gave himself a near-impervious breastplate, aiming arm stabilizers and a monocle-like targeting optic. He demonstrated these to great effect, taking out [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] in one blast during a rescue of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Lost & Found|Lost & Found}}

[[Image:Slowmotionmoviewalkahm5.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Like every other tough-guy group walk in the movies...]]
Sporting a decidedly dour demeanor, Perceptor obtained a modicum of prominence on Kup's team. Perceptor opted to become more directly involved in deeply discomfiting the Decepticons... until their inopportune crash-landing on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} When some [[Insecticon swarm|swarms of Insecticons]] made an appearance, he once again displayed his disturbing targeting proficiency, inflicting immediate and conclusive damage on one scout with only minimal effort. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Later, when the Autobots fled from the Swarm, they had planted some explosive charges to several bridges in order to cut off their pursuers. When they passed one of the bridges, Kup ordered Perceptor to shoot the charges, which he did with two small handblasters. However, he was taken out by a dart fired off by a Swarm (who got blasted for its effort). {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} He was soon back on his feet, helping the other Autobots set up a defensive turret at their base. This saddened [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], who would rather have had the "old" Perceptor help him and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] repair Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} After almost getting overrun by the Swarm, Perceptor and the other Autobots were rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who carried them all to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers2 Perceptor Sniping.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He's a sniperer now; he can't be concerned with the laws of physics!]]
Perceptor was still by Kup's side three years later, by which time both of them had joined the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1}}

When they stumbled upon the injured former Wrecker [[Impactor]], Perceptor checked up on him and found a [[deterrence chip]] embedded in his skull. He soon had to switch mindsets from scientist to sniper again, though, as the Wreckers were sent to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s clutches. During the initial attack, Perceptor shot down Decepticon jets while hanging upside-down from the Autobots' drop pod. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2}}

After their drop pod had crash-landed inside Garrus-9, Perceptor and his team found themselves surrounded by Decepticons and confronting Overlord himself. Overlord killed [[Rotorstorm]] right in front of them and told the Wreckers to surrender. Perceptor calmly ordered [[Pyro]] to protect the stowaway [[Verity Carlo]], while he, [[Ironfist]], and [[Topspin (G1)| Topspin]] launched themselves at the Decepticon. Overlord easily thrashed all of them, and upon hearing that there were Wreckers in another part of Garrus-9, offered freedom to any other Decepticon who brought him the head of a Wrecker. The Wreckers beat a hasty retreat as a mob of Decepticons started after them, and Perceptor managed to delay them by sniping and detonating a spare fuel tank they had brought along.

Perceptor and Topspin had to take a moment to deal with a shaken Ironfist’s anxiety over Rotorstorm’s death, then set to finding their main objective; [[Aequitas]]. Perceptor located the chamber in which it was housed and a ravaged [[Fortress Maximus (G1)| Fortress Maximus]], who had been made into a “living lock pick” for the door. Perceptor had the access codes and got everyone in, revealing Aequitas to them.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3}}

Perceptor explained what Aequitas was to the others, and he quickly set to work on trying to find an access terminal for it. When he finally did locate it, he discovered a problem; Aequitas was protected by a “suicide lock”. Perceptor told the others that someone had to willingly donate their spark to bypass it, and it couldn’t be him, as he was the only one who could operate the supercomputer. After some argument, Ironfist agreed to be the sacrifice, only to be beaten to the punch by Topspin. With Topspin’s death, Perceptor gained access to Aequitas’ system. He copied the hard drive and uploaded it into Ironfist for safekeeping. As Decepticons began to break through the chamber’s door, Perceptor pointed out he could kill them all by triggering their deterrence chips through Aequitas.

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers5- Ironfist Perceptor Verity.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]
Pyro and Verity were against this, as it meant Impactor would die as well, but Perceptor denied Verity a vote and looked to Ironfist for the tie-breaker. Ironfist, having learned the truth of Impactor’s crimes from the Aequitas upload, glumly cast his lot in with Perceptor.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4}}

Verity continued to argue against it, arguing that the Wreckers as idealized by Ironfist would never take the easy way out. Perceptor changed his mind, deciding that Verity was right and they’ll simply fight their way out. Pyro volunteered to stay behind and buy them time to escape, and once the door was breached, Perceptor and Ironfist slipped by the Decepticons. At Ironfist’s prompting, they headed to Garrus-9’s armory.

Shortly thereafter, Perceptor and the others arrived outside, where the remaining Wreckers were fighting Overlord. As the Decepticon held Springer up with one arm, Perceptor sniped his hand off, forcing him to drop the Wreckers’ leader. But Overlord managed to tear Springer’s face off and blast Perceptor into unconsciousness before finally being defeated by Ironfist, Verity, and the revived Impactor. While no further mention was made of him, it’s most likely Perceptor survived and recovered from his wounds. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1toy-Perceptor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Because it's easier to see small things when you have a giant laser cannon aiming at them.]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Autobot, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''39'''
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Formerly a [[Micro Change|Microchange]] MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a predominantly red, functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X<ref>Perceptor's [[instructions]].</ref> due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a spring-loaded rocket launcher that can fire one of three red missile-shaped projectiles(functional only in the Takara release).

: A holdover from his Microchange origins, Perceptor can also transform into a 'tank' mode.

: The Japanese version does ''not'' launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.

: There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.

: The mold was later [[redeco]]ed to make [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]].
{{-}}

===Transformers Collection===
*'''Cybertron Perceptor''' (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-19'''
: Perceptor was [[Generation 1 reissues|reissued]] in Japan as part of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Transformers Collection]]'' line.
{{-}}
===Classics===
[[Image:ClassicsLOCPerceptor toy.jpg|right|175px|thumb|"I will blow up your whole city. For science."]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Legends, 2006)

: Available as part of the first assortment of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'', Perceptor is a [[redeco]] of the ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
====G1 Series====
{{picsneeded}}
*'''Perceptor''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
: Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the [[Universe (2008 toyline)|''Universe'' line]]. The [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).

:Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most G1 toys, but were straight out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun.

{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Perceptor''' (Deluxe, 2011)

:Perceptor is based on a combination of ''Generation 1'' Perceptor and [[Perceptor (Animated)|''Animated'' Perceptor]]. The vehicle mode is inspired by the ''Animated'' character's altmode. The toy will be redecoed into [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. <ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-hasbro-designers-panel-170066/</ref>

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Perceptor''' (2002)
===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Perceptor''' (2003)

[[Image:HOC Perceptor.jpg|right|100px|thumb|What's the deal with corn nuts?]]
:Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese [[Super Collection Figure]] line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He came with the head and sword of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] build-a-figurine.
{{-}}
===Robot Heroes===
*'''Perceptor vs. Hardshell''' (2009)

[[Image:Robotheroesperceptorhardshell.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Now competing on "Iron Chemist"]]
: Part of the fourth wave of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', Perceptor packed versus [[Bombshell (G1)|Hardshell]] as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
{{-}}

==Notes==
*In the animated portion of Perceptor's original toy commercial, he is presented as being quite small, the size a microscope would be in relation to Prime's robot form, and not growing at all, but remaining just as tiny in robot form.

* A Perceptor [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. Unlike some other Action Masters, the art is based solely on the toy, including its faceplate. It has the distinction of carrying on Perceptor's well-armed legacy, with not just one but TWO shoulder-mounted microscope cannons, arm shields, and a large handgun <ref>[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p110</ref>. The figure may have been intended as a pilot or driver for an Action Master vehicle, as the handgun has handlebars jutting off either side. Or perhaps the aforementioned munition was engineered to be wielded in an akimbo manner.

*The initial inspiration for Perceptor came from the anime series [[wikipedia:Armored_Trooper_Votoms|''Armored Trooper Votoms'']]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], designing toys for Takara at the time, liked the microscope look of the heads of the mecha from that series and applied it in a more literal sense with the Microchange toy, but his involvement ended at the conceptual stage.

*In a rather surprising twist of events, part of this article has been placed on the cover of [[All Hail Megatron issue 15]]. The result is a [[micro-continuity]] in which Perceptor reads this Wiki. What is this "fourth wall" you speak of, reader?

* Like a lot of other Transformers, Perceptor was never released in the UK.{{fact}}. As a result, the Commemorative Edition was the first version sold in the country and was an Amazon exclusive.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Perceptor/perceptor.htm Perceptor at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Perceptor Perceptor's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

==Footnotes==
<references />

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Perceptor (G1)

2010-08-07T14:00:27Z

125.237.143.160: /* Victory cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Perceptor}}
:''Perceptor is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Perceptor reissueart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Back off, man. I'm a scientist."]]
'''Perceptor''' is a scientist, one of the most astute minds the whole of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] can offer. He is perpetually seeking to increase knowledge, and his discoveries have repeatedly proven invaluable. Though his specialties lie in metallurgy, electrical engineering, and additional sciences closely concomitant to Transformer physiology, his thirst for knowledge has made him a kind of scientific jack-of-all-trades.

One of Perceptor's most infamous mannerisms is his tendency to engage in verbal communication using scientific terminology. This has the unforeseen result of exasperating and occasionally frustrating his comrades. One might hypothesize that the jovial mechanoid is unaware that not everyone with whom he seeks to communicate shares his extensive vocabulary.

Engaging in physical melee is not his preferred activity. He is content to make his contributions to the Autobot cause in the manner in which he deems sufficient, but will engage in combat if the situation requires. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] often relies on Perceptor's perspicacity, and considers him as inestimable as any of his officers.

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Percepto'''
:''Italian name'': '''Supervista''' ("Super-sight")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Észlelő'''
:''Victory [[Omni Productions]] dub name'': '''Doctor Baster'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Paul Eiding]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama|Chikao Shiroyama]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Microbots shrink.JPG|thumb|right|200px|All my tubes and wires and careful notes!]]

Perceptor appeared on [[Earth]] during a period of time occurring after the initial impact of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] into the planet. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} It is unknown exactly when he had arrived, but the malfunctions he suffered during the [[Cybertonium]] depletion crisis would lead one to conclude that he had been present when the Ark crashed onto prehistoric Earth during the encounter wih the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During his period of habitation on that planetary body, he experienced a myriad of adventures. Included in that scope were incidents such as reconfiguring his mass ratio to a microscopic scale using the [[transmat reduction beam]] in order to sever the connection of the [[Heart of Cybertron]] to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s body. Upon doing so, he proceeded to dispose of the object by having [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] throw the volatile energy source approximately two thousand feet into the sky and shooting it with his mobile cannon mode. {{storylink|Microbots}}

When Megatron perpetrated an egregious assault on the Autobots' reputation and had them forcibly expelled from their residency on Earth, Perceptor was indubitably among their number. A fortuitous sequence of events allowed the Autobots to return to their former planetary location and extradict the Decepticons from their dominion over the [[human]]s. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} During another adventure, a series of aberrant mechanical malfunctions began afflicting the Autobots. Perceptor was incapable of altering from his microscope configuration, and expeditiously determined that the complication was a depletion of [[Cybertonium]]. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During a constitutional along a seaboard, Perceptor, [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] were assailed by an assortment of Decepticons. Remarkably, [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] appeared impervious to damage, and both Perceptor and Seaspray were captured and escorted to the submerged Decepticon headquarters. With the inclusion of Beachcomber, the three Autobots were able to effect an adequate escape and rejoin their cohorts in time to confront the [[Electrum]]-coated Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

In an endeavor to assist [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], who had run into difficulty on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], one of [[Saturn]]'s attendant moons, Perceptor and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] traversed space in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Although Omega's energy was depleted by the journey, Perceptor was able to locate a prodigious accumulation of [[energy crystal]]s, with which he subsequently reenergized Omega, allowing them to repel the Decepticon invaders and effect a peregrination back to Earth. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}

[[Image:G1 cartoon Perceptor Pencil sword.JPG|left|200px|thumb|The pen...cil is mightier than the sword!]]

On another occasion, Perceptor and an assemblage of Autobots and Decepticons were propelled across the interstellar void by the [[space bridge]], landing on an unexplored world in which Cybertronian lifeforms were minuscule in relation to the immense indigenous population. After a series of alarming endangerments, Perceptor determined that a toy rocket ship possessed by the boy [[Aron]], whose abode they had happened into, could be modified to return the Autobots home. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} Calamitously, their mode of transport was intercepted by an alien named [[Bosch]], who utilised a mechanism to place the Autobots in a submissive state, intending to barter them for energon. [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] was eventually able to emancipate Perceptor and his fellows with the assistance of the bounty hunter [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Examining a sample of extraterrestrial matter transported to Earth on [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s back, Perceptor was able to ascertain that Cosmos had inadvertently imported [[Morphobot]]s, a genus of robotic flora which consumed mechanical life. His exhortation was sufficient to save Cosmos and the Morphobots were soon dispatched to a more suitable biosphere; however, the sample he had acquired had also propagated to the point where it threatened to consume him along with his laboratory. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

Perceptor's spectrographic analysis of an ore sample determined that the asteroid from which it originated was, in fact, alive. In an unfortunate turn of events, Optimus Prime had just commanded Omega Supreme to obliterate said asteroid. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Yet another enterprise took Perceptor to a world inhabited by transforming organic creatures who had been enslaved by the Decepticons. He assisted in liberating the [[Tlalakan]]s, and was subsequently bemused by Bumblebee's notion that they should make a wish on the first stellar object they sighted. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Perceptor kick.JPG|thumb|right|200px|I don't believe it! There she goes again! She's tidied up and I can't find anything!]]

He also synthesized a panacea to remedy all corrosion, with the appellation [[corrostop]], and was decorated by the humans for his ingenuity. Megatron also coveted his assistance, but for a dire emergency — the Decepticon had become afflicted by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] and it transpired that corrostop was the only counteragent. Not content with merely being ameliorated, Megatron exploited Perceptor in a machination to infect the Autobots with Cosmic Rust, and all sources of [[Ingredient X]], an imperative component of corrostop, had been exhausted. Perceptor and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] labored to make the [[matter duplicator]] operational so that more corrostop could be constituted and the Autobots saved. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

Perceptor and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] discovered a disquieting fact — that an aberrant disruption emanating from Cybertron was causing a shift in Earth's orbit, resulting in the planet's imminent collision with the nearest stellar body! The Autobots and Decepticons were forced to collaborate to avoid destruction in the [[Sun]]; however, the Insecticons masticated the space bridge controls, rendering the possibility of its use dubious. With donated components, Perceptor repaired the space bridge and dispatched the amalgamated force to Cybertron to subjugate the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Rumblevsperceptor.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I can smell the chemicals!]]

Perceptor's actions continued to be of intrinsic strategic import, particularly following the distinct tactical deficiencies during the [[battle of Autobot City]] that resulted in the expiration of Wheeljack, and pointing out that "gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities" as the Autobots fled Earth. As a member of Ultra Magnus's company, he was marooned on planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he contended with the indigenous race of mechanisms, designated [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. During the decisive battle against [[Unicron]], Perceptor was stationed aboard the Junkion vessel when Unicron crushed it in his grasp, though fortunately was not a casualty of the catastrophe and could later be distinguished celebrating the antagonist's defeasance. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Perceptor had a mission of paramount importance and tasked it to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. After the Galactic Olympics were disrupted by unknown assailants, he examined some debris but was unable to determine the exact nature of the attackers. He proposed he accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] on an undertaking to investigate the Decepticons, but Rodimus elected to procure [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s abetment instead. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Perceptor later valiantly defended Cybertron against Decepticon intrusion. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

The inexplicable resurrection of Optimus Prime led Perceptor and the rest of the Autobots on a mission of retaliation against the [[Quintesson]]s for the supposed termination of a selection of Autobots, including Rodimus Prime. When it transpired that a shuttle Optimus commanded the Autobots fire on in fact contained their still-functioning comrades, Perceptor was all too happy to arrest the ill-fated assault. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

[[Image:G1 ForeverIsALongTime Pipes Rodimus Perceptor.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]

On a second entanglement with the Quintessons, Perceptor was incapacitated early in the conflict and unable to prevent several of his fellow Autobots from traversing a [[Time Window|chronal displacement aperture]] to Cybertron's distant past. Although [[Pipes]] was an adequate physician, Perceptor regained normal function subsequent to the resolution of the situation. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After [[Fort Knox]] dematerialized, a preliminary examination by Perceptor of [[energon cube]]s discovered at the locale indicated they were contaminated with [[Dinosaur transform static]]. Further analysis indicated the cubes were of Decepticon manufacture, exonerating the Dinobots and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Tracing the point of origin to [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]], the Autobots located the appropriated architecture and liberated the country from the habitation of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

Perceptor was part of an ambush set for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] when the incorporeal spirit of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessed [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} When Wheelie and the [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Spike's immature offspring]] developed curiosity over Ultra Magnus's construction date, they consulted Perceptor, who suggested they scrutinize the [[Hall of Records]], unaware of the endangerment the pair would soon face. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Investigating another disappearance on the part of Daniel, this time complemented by Grimlock, Perceptor operated a Quintesson contrivance which transposed a rescue party to the domain of [[Menonia]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} While excavating [[isodrite]] in an asteroid belt, a team of Autobots was beleaguered by Decepticons, however as Perceptor observed, Galvatron was wreaking more havoc with his own troops than the Autobots. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[Image:CarnageCMinor Perceptor microscope.jpg|thumb|left|200px|That's not where you look into a microscope, Hot Spot.]]
Perceptor's calculations later tracked the Decepticons down to a comet, where the blackguards were installing an apparatus to propel it into [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. During the altercation, a resonance of extreme amplitude disrupted proceedings, causing all present to expeditiously descent towards a nearby planetary body named [[Eurythma]]. As the Decepticons prepared to resume hostilities, Perceptor dismantled [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] with one discharge of his artillery mode. He proceeded to participate in a diversionary engagement while Ultra Magnus and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] contacted the indigenous sentient life who communicated entirely in melody. {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

Detecting an aberrant semaphore on a Quintesson frequency, Perceptor allocated the mission to Sky-Lynx, Blaster and [[Outback]]. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} He later oversaw the installation of a new power core on Cybertron. Not long after this occurrence, Galvatron unleashed a [[Dweller|grotesque monstrosity]] with the ability to metamorphose Transformers into energy vampires. Perceptor not only formulated a remedy involving the infusing of a plethora of energy, but was able to effect the catharsis of the Dweller from Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} He was equivalently successful in restoring Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to their mechanoid forms after they were transplanted into organic bodies. {{storylink|Only Human}}

[[Image:PerceptorNijika01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Memoirs of a tiny alien robot geisha with a male alien robot's transplanted brain]]
During the instatement of another power generator, Perceptor expressed a desire for an increase in the Dinobots' brainpower, to which Grimlock responded with a aggressive exclamation regarding his fist and Perceptor's cranium. Malfunctions caused by strange energy emanating from the generator resulted in Grimlock's intelligence being increased manifold, outstripping even Perceptor's own acumen. The Autobots journeyed to Unicron's skull in orbit around Cybertron, where they were incapacitated by [[anti-electron]]s. Providentially, Grimlock was able to construct a brigade of [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s to salvage the situation. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

During one of his final known excursions with Rodimus, Perceptor plummeted onto an [[Zamojin (planet)|alien world]] in a state of [[transformation paralysis]]. What's worse, his [[universal emulator]] was taken from his body and transplanted into the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] construct called [[Nijika]], which resulted in Perceptor's consciousness taking up residence within that form. All things considered, he took it quite well, and his alterations to the emulator resulted in the Quintessons inadvertently extricating the world from its incarceration. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Fight! Super Robot Lifeform manga=====
=====Victory cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masaharu Satō]] (Japanese)

Perceptor, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Minerva]] were summoned, called forth, or otherwise sought out by [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] to save, preserve, and defend the life of the critically damaged and weakened [[Ginrai]]. They succeeded, converting the former [[Transtector]] into the mighty [[Victory Leo]].{{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Later when Victory Leo's programing was going haywire Preceptor explaned to Jean that his curcits were not completly kicked in yet.{{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} When [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] desined a missile system to keep the Autobots at bay, Star Saber told him the only way to stop him was to combine with Victory Leo. At first he refused to let it happen but Star Saber changed his mind.{{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} Later Preceptor was seen in a ship headded off Earth but Wheeljack and Minerva were not seen going with him but thats what most likely happened. {{storylink|Jean - Defend the Campus}}

=====Japanese ''Generation 2'' story pages=====
[[Image:G2StoryPageWheeljackPerceptor1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Look at him, all tiny back there.]]
Perceptor, along with Wheeljack and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], discovered [[Reconfiguration Matrix|new properties]] of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime subsequent to a crushing defeat by Megatron. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 4}}
{{-}}

=====Teletraan Go! Go! comics=====
[[Image:TGGPerceptor1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The doctor is in...sane.]]
Sent to gather data on Perceptor, [[Teletraan 15]] found him giggling creepily over a microchip and telling it that it was time for its check-up.

[[Image:TGGPerceptor2.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Wheeee!]]As she recoiled in horror, Perceptor's tone became clinical and, retracting his faceplate, he demanded that she identify herself. After Teletraan 15 recorded her notes on the Autobot scientist, he transformed into his seldom-seen mobile battle mode and took her for a ride... whether she wanted it or not.
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
On Cybertron, Perceptor was often considered an officer or otherwise highly ranked personage by other Cybertronic life forms in the vicinity, inspiring in the aforementioned others a tendency to view him as a "commander" of a faction of Autobots who engaged in armed conflict against localized enemy forces until such a point as the aforementioned combat unit, or the surviving portions thereof, crossed the multidimensional warp system for transport, otherwise known as the Space Bridge, to join the forces based on the planetary body known to the overwhelming majority of those of his species who had shifted their operations to its locality as Earth. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} His most recent appearance had him suffering from defective circuits in the Arctic, preventing him fom detecting the presence of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] of the [[Tentakil (G1)|multipod variety]]. He was later listed as deactivated for a somewhat extended period of time, by human standards if not by those of his species, by the opposing faction (as judged by an outside observer who insists on a binary classification system) as a result of the [[Underbase]] conflict, so named for the goal of the conflict, a legendary storehouse of Cybertronic knowledge. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In a parallel junction of quantum-temporal values, Perceptor aided his fellow residents of [[Autobot City]] in the initiation of combat proceedings against unwanted [[Quintesson]] visitors possessing acutely nefarious intent. Unfortunately, said combat proceedings proved to be incapable of properly sustaining the necessary level of applied force to rebuke and rebuff the forward progress of the invading hostile xeno-biological entities, leading to a cessation of proper operating status for Perceptor and several of his Autobot co-actors. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

''One solar-terrestrial revolution cycle later, Perceptor again responded to the presence of hostile activities when an Autobot interstellar transport shuttle made a sudden and disastrous relocation from space to earth at velocities far exceeding safety protocols. At the shuttle's location, Perceptor fell into a paradoxical situation necessitating that the Autobots save their commander [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] from his own disparate mental status. {{storylink|White Fire}}''

====Generation 2====
Perceptor did not engage in random fisticuffs and altercations with the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], for that would most emphatically be in a milieu of activity not of his preference. Alternatively, he participated in an expedition of a scientific nature to the lunar orbiting body of [[J'asik]] to determine what nefarious entity had structurally destabilized the populace at a molecular level. His findings unveiled astonishing and almost inarticulable obfuscations from deep in the Cybertronian past. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

===Universe: The Wreckers===
Perceptor counseled [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] against making a leadership decision that, when one considers both the opinions of observers that are generally regarded as wise, to such an extent as observers with finite capacity for knowledge can comprehend the infinite, and the final results of the decision in question, could be regarded as less than optimal.

Knowing the commander in question many of those reading this documentation may surmise the result... {{storylink|Betrayal}}

===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics continuity===
Perceptor was again held to be an officer or leader, a position he occupied with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], among a group of underground Autobots on Cybertron after the unexpected return of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who had disappeared along with Optimus Prime many years ago in an early [[space bridge]] test, commanding the [[Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]-form drones. The combat efficiency of these Air Warriors, as they were also known, led to a Decepticon conquest of Cybertron, as well as the enslavement of many Autobots. During this period, Perceptor theorized that if Megatron had survived the space bridge explosion, one could logically conclude that Optimus Prime also survived. At a base appropriately designated the [[Think Tank]], Perceptor designed and built a device intended to locate Optimus Prime. Before a proper test of the device could be conducted, Perceptor's group managed to capture an Air Warrior, with the intentions of examining its systems with the hope of finding an effective counter measure against the drones. {{storylink|War Within: The Age of Wrath}} Unfortunately, financial irregularities on the part of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Pat Lee|President]] resulted in the company filing for Chapter 11, where it currently remains in Bankruptcy court to this day, precluding any possible end to the story at this time.

Millions of years after the aforementioned events, Perceptor again allied with a group of Autobots who opposed the oppressive regime of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but these activities were covert in nature and he publicly remained a respected Autobot scientist. He presented evidence of Shockwave's unorthodox experiments on various Transformers, as well as the fact that Cybertron's spatial coordinates seemed to have changed, to the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. The High Council was unwilling to take any constitutional action against Shockwave, over feelings of gratitude for his assistance in restoring the peace, even after they were verbally accosted by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Ultimately, any censure or movement against Shockwave was discontinued due to a rampage on the part of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. After Optimus Prime escaped custody and united the various resistance movements, Perceptor participated in the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]'s offensive against [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's fortifications]] within Hub Capital Iacon. He also helped to repair [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], commander of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], despite the latter's well known bias against intellectuals. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
In the year 1985, Perceptor and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] hastily took off for [[Earth]] in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel, despite Perceptor's protests. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of [[Oregon]] near [[Mount St. Hilary]]. They were discovered there by a [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] team led by [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]. {{storylink|Targets of Opportunity}}

{{note|Due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy, Blaster and Perceptor's motivations for coming to Earth - and pretty much anything else - were never revealed.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Perceptor accompanied [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Teletran 3]], where he providing covering fire for Magnus and captured [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] with an energy rope. He then tapped into Teletran 3 and learned that it had transported a random number of Cybertronians into various points in [[Earth]]'s timeline, which would cause a temporal feedback that would destroy the planet unless they were retrieved. Thankfully, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] were happy to save their planet, and Perceptor operated Teletran 3 to send them after the missing Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} After that, all he could do was wait inside the slowly dying force field erected around Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} Unfortunately, the field went down before all the rescue teams had returned, and the Autobots were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who taunted Perceptor as he allowed his Earth-destruction scenario to play out. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} It was not to be, however, as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were retrieved from Earth's distant past and ripped Shockwave's forces apart, saving Perceptor and the other prisoners. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

Some time later, Perceptor was sent to [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] on Earth to oversee the decommissioning of Cybertronian technology along with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Before he had time to do much other than greet [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] and deliver a message from Optimus Prime, the facility came under attack by Cobra, and Perceptor had to help fight them off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} Bumblebee went missing during the battle, and the Autobots followed his [[energy signature]] to the lowest areas of Area 52, only to find the head of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], deactivated two years earlier. Perceptor was outraged that the humans had been experimenting with something so dangerous, but [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] insisted that he had been completely unaware. As it turned out, Megatron's remains had been used to make the dangerous and hostile [[Serpentor|Serpent Organic Robot]], who forced the [[G.I. Joe battle mech|Joes' mech suits]] to fight against Perceptor and the other Autobots before warping to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

The Autobots and Joes followed him, and Perceptor called [[Capitol City]] for reinforcements before discovering the movement signals of several [[cannibalizer]]s around them. They escaped from the monstrosities, only to run straight into Serpent O.R.'s newly recruited Decepticon army, who captured them before Perceptor's reinforcements had time to arrive. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} They were eventually freed thanks to [[Snake-Eyes]]'s ninja tricks. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} While fighting their way out of the Decepticon base, the Autobots learned that Serpent O.R. had also captured Optimus Prime, and they went to rescue him. When they arrived, Serpent O.R.'s body had been transformed by the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and was now being controlled by [[Cobra Commander]]. The Cobra leader used his tentacles to smash Perceptor's shoulder to pieces, and with a cry of "Goodness!", the scientist was taken out of action. After Cobra Commander was defeated by Hawk, Perceptor listened to [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] tell funny stories about [[Barbecue]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Perceptor served on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], acting as a peer to acting-commander [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]. He appeared to know [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] of old, and helped him with his investigation. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

[[Image:SpotlightBlaster Perceptor whitestatic.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cut the crap, Perceptor, and just get the cable back up!]]
He later transferred aboard the ''[[Ark-17]]'', along with [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and others in a mission to rescue an insane [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] from the crystal planet. Perceptor voiced the general consensus of those who had embarked upon the voyage to attempt to dissuade Springer of the less than optimal, considering resource allotment, military operation he had accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

Kup was eventually rescued and taken to [[Kimia Facility]] where Perceptor and the scientists there helped repair Kup using [[Pretender]] technology. Overseeing the operation, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] also had Perceptor secretly install subroutines into Kup that would allow Prowl to have control over the old codger. Though Perceptor opposed this, he followed his orders. Perceptor also was assigned to Kup's unit to keep a supply of [[cigar|cy-gar]]s handy to keep Kup sane. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Everything in Its Right Place|Everything in Its Right Place}}

Perceptor later accompanied Kup on a mission to rescue some captured [[Wrecker]]s and was badly injured during the operation, but was saved by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}} After healing from his injuries, Perceptor decided to make some upgrades to his body, making him more useful as a warrior. He gave himself a near-impervious breastplate, aiming arm stabilizers and a monocle-like targeting optic. He demonstrated these to great effect, taking out [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] in one blast during a rescue of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Lost & Found|Lost & Found}}

[[Image:Slowmotionmoviewalkahm5.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Like every other tough-guy group walk in the movies...]]
Sporting a decidedly dour demeanor, Perceptor obtained a modicum of prominence on Kup's team. Perceptor opted to become more directly involved in deeply discomfiting the Decepticons... until their inopportune crash-landing on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} When some [[Insecticon swarm|swarms of Insecticons]] made an appearance, he once again displayed his disturbing targeting proficiency, inflicting immediate and conclusive damage on one scout with only minimal effort. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Later, when the Autobots fled from the Swarm, they had planted some explosive charges to several bridges in order to cut off their pursuers. When they passed one of the bridges, Kup ordered Perceptor to shoot the charges, which he did with two small handblasters. However, he was taken out by a dart fired off by a Swarm (who got blasted for its effort). {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} He was soon back on his feet, helping the other Autobots set up a defensive turret at their base. This saddened [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], who would rather have had the "old" Perceptor help him and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] repair Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} After almost getting overrun by the Swarm, Perceptor and the other Autobots were rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who carried them all to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers2 Perceptor Sniping.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He's a sniperer now; he can't be concerned with the laws of physics!]]
Perceptor was still by Kup's side three years later, by which time both of them had joined the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1}}

When they stumbled upon the injured former Wrecker [[Impactor]], Perceptor checked up on him and found a [[deterrence chip]] embedded in his skull. He soon had to switch mindsets from scientist to sniper again, though, as the Wreckers were sent to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s clutches. During the initial attack, Perceptor shot down Decepticon jets while hanging upside-down from the Autobots' drop pod. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2}}

After their drop pod had crash-landed inside Garrus-9, Perceptor and his team found themselves surrounded by Decepticons and confronting Overlord himself. Overlord killed [[Rotorstorm]] right in front of them and told the Wreckers to surrender. Perceptor calmly ordered [[Pyro]] to protect the stowaway [[Verity Carlo]], while he, [[Ironfist]], and [[Topspin (G1)| Topspin]] launched themselves at the Decepticon. Overlord easily thrashed all of them, and upon hearing that there were Wreckers in another part of Garrus-9, offered freedom to any other Decepticon who brought him the head of a Wrecker. The Wreckers beat a hasty retreat as a mob of Decepticons started after them, and Perceptor managed to delay them by sniping and detonating a spare fuel tank they had brought along.

Perceptor and Topspin had to take a moment to deal with a shaken Ironfist’s anxiety over Rotorstorm’s death, then set to finding their main objective; [[Aequitas]]. Perceptor located the chamber in which it was housed and a ravaged [[Fortress Maximus (G1)| Fortress Maximus]], who had been made into a “living lock pick” for the door. Perceptor had the access codes and got everyone in, revealing Aequitas to them.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3}}

Perceptor explained what Aequitas was to the others, and he quickly set to work on trying to find an access terminal for it. When he finally did locate it, he discovered a problem; Aequitas was protected by a “suicide lock”. Perceptor told the others that someone had to willingly donate their spark to bypass it, and it couldn’t be him, as he was the only one who could operate the supercomputer. After some argument, Ironfist agreed to be the sacrifice, only to be beaten to the punch by Topspin. With Topspin’s death, Perceptor gained access to Aequitas’ system. He copied the hard drive and uploaded it into Ironfist for safekeeping. As Decepticons began to break through the chamber’s door, Perceptor pointed out he could kill them all by triggering their deterrence chips through Aequitas.

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers5- Ironfist Perceptor Verity.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]
Pyro and Verity were against this, as it meant Impactor would die as well, but Perceptor denied Verity a vote and looked to Ironfist for the tie-breaker. Ironfist, having learned the truth of Impactor’s crimes from the Aequitas upload, glumly cast his lot in with Perceptor.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4}}

Verity continued to argue against it, arguing that the Wreckers as idealized by Ironfist would never take the easy way out. Perceptor changed his mind, deciding that Verity was right and they’ll simply fight their way out. Pyro volunteered to stay behind and buy them time to escape, and once the door was breached, Perceptor and Ironfist slipped by the Decepticons. At Ironfist’s prompting, they headed to Garrus-9’s armory.

Shortly thereafter, Perceptor and the others arrived outside, where the remaining Wreckers were fighting Overlord. As the Decepticon held Springer up with one arm, Perceptor sniped his hand off, forcing him to drop the Wreckers’ leader. But Overlord managed to tear Springer’s face off and blast Perceptor into unconsciousness before finally being defeated by Ironfist, Verity, and the revived Impactor. While no further mention was made of him, it’s most likely Perceptor survived and recovered from his wounds. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1toy-Perceptor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Because it's easier to see small things when you have a giant laser cannon aiming at them.]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Autobot, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''39'''
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Formerly a [[Micro Change|Microchange]] MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a predominantly red, functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X<ref>Perceptor's [[instructions]].</ref> due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a spring-loaded rocket launcher that can fire one of three red missile-shaped projectiles(functional only in the Takara release).

: A holdover from his Microchange origins, Perceptor can also transform into a 'tank' mode.

: The Japanese version does ''not'' launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.

: There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.

: The mold was later [[redeco]]ed to make [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]].
{{-}}

===Transformers Collection===
*'''Cybertron Perceptor''' (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-19'''
: Perceptor was [[Generation 1 reissues|reissued]] in Japan as part of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Transformers Collection]]'' line.
{{-}}
===Classics===
[[Image:ClassicsLOCPerceptor toy.jpg|right|175px|thumb|"I will blow up your whole city. For science."]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Legends, 2006)

: Available as part of the first assortment of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'', Perceptor is a [[redeco]] of the ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
====G1 Series====
{{picsneeded}}
*'''Perceptor''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
: Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the [[Universe (2008 toyline)|''Universe'' line]]. The [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).

:Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most G1 toys, but were straight out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun.

{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Perceptor''' (Deluxe, 2011)

:Perceptor is based on a combination of ''Generation 1'' Perceptor and [[Perceptor (Animated)|''Animated'' Perceptor]]. The vehicle mode is inspired by the ''Animated'' character's altmode. The toy will be redecoed into [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. <ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-hasbro-designers-panel-170066/</ref>

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Perceptor''' (2002)
===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Perceptor''' (2003)

[[Image:HOC Perceptor.jpg|right|100px|thumb|What's the deal with corn nuts?]]
:Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese [[Super Collection Figure]] line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He came with the head and sword of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] build-a-figurine.
{{-}}
===Robot Heroes===
*'''Perceptor vs. Hardshell''' (2009)

[[Image:Robotheroesperceptorhardshell.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Now competing on "Iron Chemist"]]
: Part of the fourth wave of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', Perceptor packed versus [[Bombshell (G1)|Hardshell]] as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
{{-}}

==Notes==
*In the animated portion of Perceptor's original toy commercial, he is presented as being quite small, the size a microscope would be in relation to Prime's robot form, and not growing at all, but remaining just as tiny in robot form.

* A Perceptor [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. Unlike some other Action Masters, the art is based solely on the toy, including its faceplate. It has the distinction of carrying on Perceptor's well-armed legacy, with not just one but TWO shoulder-mounted microscope cannons, arm shields, and a large handgun <ref>[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p110</ref>. The figure may have been intended as a pilot or driver for an Action Master vehicle, as the handgun has handlebars jutting off either side. Or perhaps the aforementioned munition was engineered to be wielded in an akimbo manner.

*The initial inspiration for Perceptor came from the anime series [[wikipedia:Armored_Trooper_Votoms|''Armored Trooper Votoms'']]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], designing toys for Takara at the time, liked the microscope look of the heads of the mecha from that series and applied it in a more literal sense with the Microchange toy, but his involvement ended at the conceptual stage.

*In a rather surprising twist of events, part of this article has been placed on the cover of [[All Hail Megatron issue 15]]. The result is a [[micro-continuity]] in which Perceptor reads this Wiki. What is this "fourth wall" you speak of, reader?

* Like a lot of other Transformers, Perceptor was never released in the UK.{{fact}}. As a result, the Commemorative Edition was the first version sold in the country and was an Amazon exclusive.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Perceptor/perceptor.htm Perceptor at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Perceptor Perceptor's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

==Footnotes==
<references />

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Perceptor (G1)

2010-08-07T13:59:15Z

125.237.143.160: /* Victory cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Perceptor}}
:''Perceptor is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Perceptor reissueart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Back off, man. I'm a scientist."]]
'''Perceptor''' is a scientist, one of the most astute minds the whole of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] can offer. He is perpetually seeking to increase knowledge, and his discoveries have repeatedly proven invaluable. Though his specialties lie in metallurgy, electrical engineering, and additional sciences closely concomitant to Transformer physiology, his thirst for knowledge has made him a kind of scientific jack-of-all-trades.

One of Perceptor's most infamous mannerisms is his tendency to engage in verbal communication using scientific terminology. This has the unforeseen result of exasperating and occasionally frustrating his comrades. One might hypothesize that the jovial mechanoid is unaware that not everyone with whom he seeks to communicate shares his extensive vocabulary.

Engaging in physical melee is not his preferred activity. He is content to make his contributions to the Autobot cause in the manner in which he deems sufficient, but will engage in combat if the situation requires. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] often relies on Perceptor's perspicacity, and considers him as inestimable as any of his officers.

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Percepto'''
:''Italian name'': '''Supervista''' ("Super-sight")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Észlelő'''
:''Victory [[Omni Productions]] dub name'': '''Doctor Baster'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Paul Eiding]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama|Chikao Shiroyama]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Microbots shrink.JPG|thumb|right|200px|All my tubes and wires and careful notes!]]

Perceptor appeared on [[Earth]] during a period of time occurring after the initial impact of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] into the planet. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} It is unknown exactly when he had arrived, but the malfunctions he suffered during the [[Cybertonium]] depletion crisis would lead one to conclude that he had been present when the Ark crashed onto prehistoric Earth during the encounter wih the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During his period of habitation on that planetary body, he experienced a myriad of adventures. Included in that scope were incidents such as reconfiguring his mass ratio to a microscopic scale using the [[transmat reduction beam]] in order to sever the connection of the [[Heart of Cybertron]] to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s body. Upon doing so, he proceeded to dispose of the object by having [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] throw the volatile energy source approximately two thousand feet into the sky and shooting it with his mobile cannon mode. {{storylink|Microbots}}

When Megatron perpetrated an egregious assault on the Autobots' reputation and had them forcibly expelled from their residency on Earth, Perceptor was indubitably among their number. A fortuitous sequence of events allowed the Autobots to return to their former planetary location and extradict the Decepticons from their dominion over the [[human]]s. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} During another adventure, a series of aberrant mechanical malfunctions began afflicting the Autobots. Perceptor was incapable of altering from his microscope configuration, and expeditiously determined that the complication was a depletion of [[Cybertonium]]. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During a constitutional along a seaboard, Perceptor, [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] were assailed by an assortment of Decepticons. Remarkably, [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] appeared impervious to damage, and both Perceptor and Seaspray were captured and escorted to the submerged Decepticon headquarters. With the inclusion of Beachcomber, the three Autobots were able to effect an adequate escape and rejoin their cohorts in time to confront the [[Electrum]]-coated Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

In an endeavor to assist [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], who had run into difficulty on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], one of [[Saturn]]'s attendant moons, Perceptor and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] traversed space in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Although Omega's energy was depleted by the journey, Perceptor was able to locate a prodigious accumulation of [[energy crystal]]s, with which he subsequently reenergized Omega, allowing them to repel the Decepticon invaders and effect a peregrination back to Earth. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}

[[Image:G1 cartoon Perceptor Pencil sword.JPG|left|200px|thumb|The pen...cil is mightier than the sword!]]

On another occasion, Perceptor and an assemblage of Autobots and Decepticons were propelled across the interstellar void by the [[space bridge]], landing on an unexplored world in which Cybertronian lifeforms were minuscule in relation to the immense indigenous population. After a series of alarming endangerments, Perceptor determined that a toy rocket ship possessed by the boy [[Aron]], whose abode they had happened into, could be modified to return the Autobots home. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} Calamitously, their mode of transport was intercepted by an alien named [[Bosch]], who utilised a mechanism to place the Autobots in a submissive state, intending to barter them for energon. [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] was eventually able to emancipate Perceptor and his fellows with the assistance of the bounty hunter [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Examining a sample of extraterrestrial matter transported to Earth on [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s back, Perceptor was able to ascertain that Cosmos had inadvertently imported [[Morphobot]]s, a genus of robotic flora which consumed mechanical life. His exhortation was sufficient to save Cosmos and the Morphobots were soon dispatched to a more suitable biosphere; however, the sample he had acquired had also propagated to the point where it threatened to consume him along with his laboratory. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

Perceptor's spectrographic analysis of an ore sample determined that the asteroid from which it originated was, in fact, alive. In an unfortunate turn of events, Optimus Prime had just commanded Omega Supreme to obliterate said asteroid. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Yet another enterprise took Perceptor to a world inhabited by transforming organic creatures who had been enslaved by the Decepticons. He assisted in liberating the [[Tlalakan]]s, and was subsequently bemused by Bumblebee's notion that they should make a wish on the first stellar object they sighted. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Perceptor kick.JPG|thumb|right|200px|I don't believe it! There she goes again! She's tidied up and I can't find anything!]]

He also synthesized a panacea to remedy all corrosion, with the appellation [[corrostop]], and was decorated by the humans for his ingenuity. Megatron also coveted his assistance, but for a dire emergency — the Decepticon had become afflicted by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] and it transpired that corrostop was the only counteragent. Not content with merely being ameliorated, Megatron exploited Perceptor in a machination to infect the Autobots with Cosmic Rust, and all sources of [[Ingredient X]], an imperative component of corrostop, had been exhausted. Perceptor and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] labored to make the [[matter duplicator]] operational so that more corrostop could be constituted and the Autobots saved. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

Perceptor and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] discovered a disquieting fact — that an aberrant disruption emanating from Cybertron was causing a shift in Earth's orbit, resulting in the planet's imminent collision with the nearest stellar body! The Autobots and Decepticons were forced to collaborate to avoid destruction in the [[Sun]]; however, the Insecticons masticated the space bridge controls, rendering the possibility of its use dubious. With donated components, Perceptor repaired the space bridge and dispatched the amalgamated force to Cybertron to subjugate the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Rumblevsperceptor.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I can smell the chemicals!]]

Perceptor's actions continued to be of intrinsic strategic import, particularly following the distinct tactical deficiencies during the [[battle of Autobot City]] that resulted in the expiration of Wheeljack, and pointing out that "gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities" as the Autobots fled Earth. As a member of Ultra Magnus's company, he was marooned on planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he contended with the indigenous race of mechanisms, designated [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. During the decisive battle against [[Unicron]], Perceptor was stationed aboard the Junkion vessel when Unicron crushed it in his grasp, though fortunately was not a casualty of the catastrophe and could later be distinguished celebrating the antagonist's defeasance. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Perceptor had a mission of paramount importance and tasked it to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. After the Galactic Olympics were disrupted by unknown assailants, he examined some debris but was unable to determine the exact nature of the attackers. He proposed he accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] on an undertaking to investigate the Decepticons, but Rodimus elected to procure [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s abetment instead. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Perceptor later valiantly defended Cybertron against Decepticon intrusion. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

The inexplicable resurrection of Optimus Prime led Perceptor and the rest of the Autobots on a mission of retaliation against the [[Quintesson]]s for the supposed termination of a selection of Autobots, including Rodimus Prime. When it transpired that a shuttle Optimus commanded the Autobots fire on in fact contained their still-functioning comrades, Perceptor was all too happy to arrest the ill-fated assault. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

[[Image:G1 ForeverIsALongTime Pipes Rodimus Perceptor.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]

On a second entanglement with the Quintessons, Perceptor was incapacitated early in the conflict and unable to prevent several of his fellow Autobots from traversing a [[Time Window|chronal displacement aperture]] to Cybertron's distant past. Although [[Pipes]] was an adequate physician, Perceptor regained normal function subsequent to the resolution of the situation. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After [[Fort Knox]] dematerialized, a preliminary examination by Perceptor of [[energon cube]]s discovered at the locale indicated they were contaminated with [[Dinosaur transform static]]. Further analysis indicated the cubes were of Decepticon manufacture, exonerating the Dinobots and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Tracing the point of origin to [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]], the Autobots located the appropriated architecture and liberated the country from the habitation of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

Perceptor was part of an ambush set for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] when the incorporeal spirit of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessed [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} When Wheelie and the [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Spike's immature offspring]] developed curiosity over Ultra Magnus's construction date, they consulted Perceptor, who suggested they scrutinize the [[Hall of Records]], unaware of the endangerment the pair would soon face. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Investigating another disappearance on the part of Daniel, this time complemented by Grimlock, Perceptor operated a Quintesson contrivance which transposed a rescue party to the domain of [[Menonia]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} While excavating [[isodrite]] in an asteroid belt, a team of Autobots was beleaguered by Decepticons, however as Perceptor observed, Galvatron was wreaking more havoc with his own troops than the Autobots. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[Image:CarnageCMinor Perceptor microscope.jpg|thumb|left|200px|That's not where you look into a microscope, Hot Spot.]]
Perceptor's calculations later tracked the Decepticons down to a comet, where the blackguards were installing an apparatus to propel it into [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. During the altercation, a resonance of extreme amplitude disrupted proceedings, causing all present to expeditiously descent towards a nearby planetary body named [[Eurythma]]. As the Decepticons prepared to resume hostilities, Perceptor dismantled [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] with one discharge of his artillery mode. He proceeded to participate in a diversionary engagement while Ultra Magnus and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] contacted the indigenous sentient life who communicated entirely in melody. {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

Detecting an aberrant semaphore on a Quintesson frequency, Perceptor allocated the mission to Sky-Lynx, Blaster and [[Outback]]. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} He later oversaw the installation of a new power core on Cybertron. Not long after this occurrence, Galvatron unleashed a [[Dweller|grotesque monstrosity]] with the ability to metamorphose Transformers into energy vampires. Perceptor not only formulated a remedy involving the infusing of a plethora of energy, but was able to effect the catharsis of the Dweller from Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} He was equivalently successful in restoring Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to their mechanoid forms after they were transplanted into organic bodies. {{storylink|Only Human}}

[[Image:PerceptorNijika01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Memoirs of a tiny alien robot geisha with a male alien robot's transplanted brain]]
During the instatement of another power generator, Perceptor expressed a desire for an increase in the Dinobots' brainpower, to which Grimlock responded with a aggressive exclamation regarding his fist and Perceptor's cranium. Malfunctions caused by strange energy emanating from the generator resulted in Grimlock's intelligence being increased manifold, outstripping even Perceptor's own acumen. The Autobots journeyed to Unicron's skull in orbit around Cybertron, where they were incapacitated by [[anti-electron]]s. Providentially, Grimlock was able to construct a brigade of [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s to salvage the situation. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

During one of his final known excursions with Rodimus, Perceptor plummeted onto an [[Zamojin (planet)|alien world]] in a state of [[transformation paralysis]]. What's worse, his [[universal emulator]] was taken from his body and transplanted into the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] construct called [[Nijika]], which resulted in Perceptor's consciousness taking up residence within that form. All things considered, he took it quite well, and his alterations to the emulator resulted in the Quintessons inadvertently extricating the world from its incarceration. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Fight! Super Robot Lifeform manga=====
=====Victory cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masaharu Satō]] (Japanese)

Perceptor, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Minerva]] were summoned, called forth, or otherwise sought out by [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] to save, preserve, and defend the life of the critically damaged and weakened [[Ginrai]]. They succeeded, converting the former [[Transtector]] into the mighty [[Victory Leo]].{{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Later when Victory Leo's programing was going haywire Preceptor explaned to Jean that his curcits were not completly kicked in yet.{{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} When [[Deasthsauras (Victory)|Deathsauras]] desined a missile system to keep the Autobots at bay, Star Saber told him the only way to stop him was to combine with Victory Leo. At first he refused to let it happen but Star Saber changed his mind.{{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} Later Preceptor was seen in a ship headded off Earth but Wheeljack and Minerva were not seen going with him but thats what most likely happened. {{storylink|Jean - Defend the Campus}}

=====Japanese ''Generation 2'' story pages=====
[[Image:G2StoryPageWheeljackPerceptor1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Look at him, all tiny back there.]]
Perceptor, along with Wheeljack and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], discovered [[Reconfiguration Matrix|new properties]] of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime subsequent to a crushing defeat by Megatron. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 4}}
{{-}}

=====Teletraan Go! Go! comics=====
[[Image:TGGPerceptor1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The doctor is in...sane.]]
Sent to gather data on Perceptor, [[Teletraan 15]] found him giggling creepily over a microchip and telling it that it was time for its check-up.

[[Image:TGGPerceptor2.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Wheeee!]]As she recoiled in horror, Perceptor's tone became clinical and, retracting his faceplate, he demanded that she identify herself. After Teletraan 15 recorded her notes on the Autobot scientist, he transformed into his seldom-seen mobile battle mode and took her for a ride... whether she wanted it or not.
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
On Cybertron, Perceptor was often considered an officer or otherwise highly ranked personage by other Cybertronic life forms in the vicinity, inspiring in the aforementioned others a tendency to view him as a "commander" of a faction of Autobots who engaged in armed conflict against localized enemy forces until such a point as the aforementioned combat unit, or the surviving portions thereof, crossed the multidimensional warp system for transport, otherwise known as the Space Bridge, to join the forces based on the planetary body known to the overwhelming majority of those of his species who had shifted their operations to its locality as Earth. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} His most recent appearance had him suffering from defective circuits in the Arctic, preventing him fom detecting the presence of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] of the [[Tentakil (G1)|multipod variety]]. He was later listed as deactivated for a somewhat extended period of time, by human standards if not by those of his species, by the opposing faction (as judged by an outside observer who insists on a binary classification system) as a result of the [[Underbase]] conflict, so named for the goal of the conflict, a legendary storehouse of Cybertronic knowledge. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In a parallel junction of quantum-temporal values, Perceptor aided his fellow residents of [[Autobot City]] in the initiation of combat proceedings against unwanted [[Quintesson]] visitors possessing acutely nefarious intent. Unfortunately, said combat proceedings proved to be incapable of properly sustaining the necessary level of applied force to rebuke and rebuff the forward progress of the invading hostile xeno-biological entities, leading to a cessation of proper operating status for Perceptor and several of his Autobot co-actors. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

''One solar-terrestrial revolution cycle later, Perceptor again responded to the presence of hostile activities when an Autobot interstellar transport shuttle made a sudden and disastrous relocation from space to earth at velocities far exceeding safety protocols. At the shuttle's location, Perceptor fell into a paradoxical situation necessitating that the Autobots save their commander [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] from his own disparate mental status. {{storylink|White Fire}}''

====Generation 2====
Perceptor did not engage in random fisticuffs and altercations with the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], for that would most emphatically be in a milieu of activity not of his preference. Alternatively, he participated in an expedition of a scientific nature to the lunar orbiting body of [[J'asik]] to determine what nefarious entity had structurally destabilized the populace at a molecular level. His findings unveiled astonishing and almost inarticulable obfuscations from deep in the Cybertronian past. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

===Universe: The Wreckers===
Perceptor counseled [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] against making a leadership decision that, when one considers both the opinions of observers that are generally regarded as wise, to such an extent as observers with finite capacity for knowledge can comprehend the infinite, and the final results of the decision in question, could be regarded as less than optimal.

Knowing the commander in question many of those reading this documentation may surmise the result... {{storylink|Betrayal}}

===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics continuity===
Perceptor was again held to be an officer or leader, a position he occupied with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], among a group of underground Autobots on Cybertron after the unexpected return of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who had disappeared along with Optimus Prime many years ago in an early [[space bridge]] test, commanding the [[Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]-form drones. The combat efficiency of these Air Warriors, as they were also known, led to a Decepticon conquest of Cybertron, as well as the enslavement of many Autobots. During this period, Perceptor theorized that if Megatron had survived the space bridge explosion, one could logically conclude that Optimus Prime also survived. At a base appropriately designated the [[Think Tank]], Perceptor designed and built a device intended to locate Optimus Prime. Before a proper test of the device could be conducted, Perceptor's group managed to capture an Air Warrior, with the intentions of examining its systems with the hope of finding an effective counter measure against the drones. {{storylink|War Within: The Age of Wrath}} Unfortunately, financial irregularities on the part of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Pat Lee|President]] resulted in the company filing for Chapter 11, where it currently remains in Bankruptcy court to this day, precluding any possible end to the story at this time.

Millions of years after the aforementioned events, Perceptor again allied with a group of Autobots who opposed the oppressive regime of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but these activities were covert in nature and he publicly remained a respected Autobot scientist. He presented evidence of Shockwave's unorthodox experiments on various Transformers, as well as the fact that Cybertron's spatial coordinates seemed to have changed, to the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. The High Council was unwilling to take any constitutional action against Shockwave, over feelings of gratitude for his assistance in restoring the peace, even after they were verbally accosted by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Ultimately, any censure or movement against Shockwave was discontinued due to a rampage on the part of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. After Optimus Prime escaped custody and united the various resistance movements, Perceptor participated in the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]'s offensive against [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's fortifications]] within Hub Capital Iacon. He also helped to repair [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], commander of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], despite the latter's well known bias against intellectuals. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
In the year 1985, Perceptor and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] hastily took off for [[Earth]] in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel, despite Perceptor's protests. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of [[Oregon]] near [[Mount St. Hilary]]. They were discovered there by a [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] team led by [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]. {{storylink|Targets of Opportunity}}

{{note|Due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy, Blaster and Perceptor's motivations for coming to Earth - and pretty much anything else - were never revealed.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Perceptor accompanied [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Teletran 3]], where he providing covering fire for Magnus and captured [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] with an energy rope. He then tapped into Teletran 3 and learned that it had transported a random number of Cybertronians into various points in [[Earth]]'s timeline, which would cause a temporal feedback that would destroy the planet unless they were retrieved. Thankfully, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] were happy to save their planet, and Perceptor operated Teletran 3 to send them after the missing Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} After that, all he could do was wait inside the slowly dying force field erected around Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} Unfortunately, the field went down before all the rescue teams had returned, and the Autobots were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who taunted Perceptor as he allowed his Earth-destruction scenario to play out. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} It was not to be, however, as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were retrieved from Earth's distant past and ripped Shockwave's forces apart, saving Perceptor and the other prisoners. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

Some time later, Perceptor was sent to [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] on Earth to oversee the decommissioning of Cybertronian technology along with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Before he had time to do much other than greet [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] and deliver a message from Optimus Prime, the facility came under attack by Cobra, and Perceptor had to help fight them off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} Bumblebee went missing during the battle, and the Autobots followed his [[energy signature]] to the lowest areas of Area 52, only to find the head of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], deactivated two years earlier. Perceptor was outraged that the humans had been experimenting with something so dangerous, but [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] insisted that he had been completely unaware. As it turned out, Megatron's remains had been used to make the dangerous and hostile [[Serpentor|Serpent Organic Robot]], who forced the [[G.I. Joe battle mech|Joes' mech suits]] to fight against Perceptor and the other Autobots before warping to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

The Autobots and Joes followed him, and Perceptor called [[Capitol City]] for reinforcements before discovering the movement signals of several [[cannibalizer]]s around them. They escaped from the monstrosities, only to run straight into Serpent O.R.'s newly recruited Decepticon army, who captured them before Perceptor's reinforcements had time to arrive. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} They were eventually freed thanks to [[Snake-Eyes]]'s ninja tricks. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} While fighting their way out of the Decepticon base, the Autobots learned that Serpent O.R. had also captured Optimus Prime, and they went to rescue him. When they arrived, Serpent O.R.'s body had been transformed by the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and was now being controlled by [[Cobra Commander]]. The Cobra leader used his tentacles to smash Perceptor's shoulder to pieces, and with a cry of "Goodness!", the scientist was taken out of action. After Cobra Commander was defeated by Hawk, Perceptor listened to [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] tell funny stories about [[Barbecue]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Perceptor served on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], acting as a peer to acting-commander [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]. He appeared to know [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] of old, and helped him with his investigation. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

[[Image:SpotlightBlaster Perceptor whitestatic.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cut the crap, Perceptor, and just get the cable back up!]]
He later transferred aboard the ''[[Ark-17]]'', along with [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and others in a mission to rescue an insane [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] from the crystal planet. Perceptor voiced the general consensus of those who had embarked upon the voyage to attempt to dissuade Springer of the less than optimal, considering resource allotment, military operation he had accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

Kup was eventually rescued and taken to [[Kimia Facility]] where Perceptor and the scientists there helped repair Kup using [[Pretender]] technology. Overseeing the operation, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] also had Perceptor secretly install subroutines into Kup that would allow Prowl to have control over the old codger. Though Perceptor opposed this, he followed his orders. Perceptor also was assigned to Kup's unit to keep a supply of [[cigar|cy-gar]]s handy to keep Kup sane. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Everything in Its Right Place|Everything in Its Right Place}}

Perceptor later accompanied Kup on a mission to rescue some captured [[Wrecker]]s and was badly injured during the operation, but was saved by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}} After healing from his injuries, Perceptor decided to make some upgrades to his body, making him more useful as a warrior. He gave himself a near-impervious breastplate, aiming arm stabilizers and a monocle-like targeting optic. He demonstrated these to great effect, taking out [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] in one blast during a rescue of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Lost & Found|Lost & Found}}

[[Image:Slowmotionmoviewalkahm5.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Like every other tough-guy group walk in the movies...]]
Sporting a decidedly dour demeanor, Perceptor obtained a modicum of prominence on Kup's team. Perceptor opted to become more directly involved in deeply discomfiting the Decepticons... until their inopportune crash-landing on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} When some [[Insecticon swarm|swarms of Insecticons]] made an appearance, he once again displayed his disturbing targeting proficiency, inflicting immediate and conclusive damage on one scout with only minimal effort. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Later, when the Autobots fled from the Swarm, they had planted some explosive charges to several bridges in order to cut off their pursuers. When they passed one of the bridges, Kup ordered Perceptor to shoot the charges, which he did with two small handblasters. However, he was taken out by a dart fired off by a Swarm (who got blasted for its effort). {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} He was soon back on his feet, helping the other Autobots set up a defensive turret at their base. This saddened [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], who would rather have had the "old" Perceptor help him and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] repair Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} After almost getting overrun by the Swarm, Perceptor and the other Autobots were rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who carried them all to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers2 Perceptor Sniping.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He's a sniperer now; he can't be concerned with the laws of physics!]]
Perceptor was still by Kup's side three years later, by which time both of them had joined the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1}}

When they stumbled upon the injured former Wrecker [[Impactor]], Perceptor checked up on him and found a [[deterrence chip]] embedded in his skull. He soon had to switch mindsets from scientist to sniper again, though, as the Wreckers were sent to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s clutches. During the initial attack, Perceptor shot down Decepticon jets while hanging upside-down from the Autobots' drop pod. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2}}

After their drop pod had crash-landed inside Garrus-9, Perceptor and his team found themselves surrounded by Decepticons and confronting Overlord himself. Overlord killed [[Rotorstorm]] right in front of them and told the Wreckers to surrender. Perceptor calmly ordered [[Pyro]] to protect the stowaway [[Verity Carlo]], while he, [[Ironfist]], and [[Topspin (G1)| Topspin]] launched themselves at the Decepticon. Overlord easily thrashed all of them, and upon hearing that there were Wreckers in another part of Garrus-9, offered freedom to any other Decepticon who brought him the head of a Wrecker. The Wreckers beat a hasty retreat as a mob of Decepticons started after them, and Perceptor managed to delay them by sniping and detonating a spare fuel tank they had brought along.

Perceptor and Topspin had to take a moment to deal with a shaken Ironfist’s anxiety over Rotorstorm’s death, then set to finding their main objective; [[Aequitas]]. Perceptor located the chamber in which it was housed and a ravaged [[Fortress Maximus (G1)| Fortress Maximus]], who had been made into a “living lock pick” for the door. Perceptor had the access codes and got everyone in, revealing Aequitas to them.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3}}

Perceptor explained what Aequitas was to the others, and he quickly set to work on trying to find an access terminal for it. When he finally did locate it, he discovered a problem; Aequitas was protected by a “suicide lock”. Perceptor told the others that someone had to willingly donate their spark to bypass it, and it couldn’t be him, as he was the only one who could operate the supercomputer. After some argument, Ironfist agreed to be the sacrifice, only to be beaten to the punch by Topspin. With Topspin’s death, Perceptor gained access to Aequitas’ system. He copied the hard drive and uploaded it into Ironfist for safekeeping. As Decepticons began to break through the chamber’s door, Perceptor pointed out he could kill them all by triggering their deterrence chips through Aequitas.

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers5- Ironfist Perceptor Verity.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]
Pyro and Verity were against this, as it meant Impactor would die as well, but Perceptor denied Verity a vote and looked to Ironfist for the tie-breaker. Ironfist, having learned the truth of Impactor’s crimes from the Aequitas upload, glumly cast his lot in with Perceptor.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4}}

Verity continued to argue against it, arguing that the Wreckers as idealized by Ironfist would never take the easy way out. Perceptor changed his mind, deciding that Verity was right and they’ll simply fight their way out. Pyro volunteered to stay behind and buy them time to escape, and once the door was breached, Perceptor and Ironfist slipped by the Decepticons. At Ironfist’s prompting, they headed to Garrus-9’s armory.

Shortly thereafter, Perceptor and the others arrived outside, where the remaining Wreckers were fighting Overlord. As the Decepticon held Springer up with one arm, Perceptor sniped his hand off, forcing him to drop the Wreckers’ leader. But Overlord managed to tear Springer’s face off and blast Perceptor into unconsciousness before finally being defeated by Ironfist, Verity, and the revived Impactor. While no further mention was made of him, it’s most likely Perceptor survived and recovered from his wounds. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1toy-Perceptor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Because it's easier to see small things when you have a giant laser cannon aiming at them.]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Autobot, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''39'''
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Formerly a [[Micro Change|Microchange]] MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a predominantly red, functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X<ref>Perceptor's [[instructions]].</ref> due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a spring-loaded rocket launcher that can fire one of three red missile-shaped projectiles(functional only in the Takara release).

: A holdover from his Microchange origins, Perceptor can also transform into a 'tank' mode.

: The Japanese version does ''not'' launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.

: There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.

: The mold was later [[redeco]]ed to make [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]].
{{-}}

===Transformers Collection===
*'''Cybertron Perceptor''' (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-19'''
: Perceptor was [[Generation 1 reissues|reissued]] in Japan as part of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Transformers Collection]]'' line.
{{-}}
===Classics===
[[Image:ClassicsLOCPerceptor toy.jpg|right|175px|thumb|"I will blow up your whole city. For science."]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Legends, 2006)

: Available as part of the first assortment of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'', Perceptor is a [[redeco]] of the ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
====G1 Series====
{{picsneeded}}
*'''Perceptor''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
: Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the [[Universe (2008 toyline)|''Universe'' line]]. The [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).

:Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most G1 toys, but were straight out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun.

{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Perceptor''' (Deluxe, 2011)

:Perceptor is based on a combination of ''Generation 1'' Perceptor and [[Perceptor (Animated)|''Animated'' Perceptor]]. The vehicle mode is inspired by the ''Animated'' character's altmode. The toy will be redecoed into [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. <ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-hasbro-designers-panel-170066/</ref>

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Perceptor''' (2002)
===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Perceptor''' (2003)

[[Image:HOC Perceptor.jpg|right|100px|thumb|What's the deal with corn nuts?]]
:Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese [[Super Collection Figure]] line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He came with the head and sword of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] build-a-figurine.
{{-}}
===Robot Heroes===
*'''Perceptor vs. Hardshell''' (2009)

[[Image:Robotheroesperceptorhardshell.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Now competing on "Iron Chemist"]]
: Part of the fourth wave of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', Perceptor packed versus [[Bombshell (G1)|Hardshell]] as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
{{-}}

==Notes==
*In the animated portion of Perceptor's original toy commercial, he is presented as being quite small, the size a microscope would be in relation to Prime's robot form, and not growing at all, but remaining just as tiny in robot form.

* A Perceptor [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. Unlike some other Action Masters, the art is based solely on the toy, including its faceplate. It has the distinction of carrying on Perceptor's well-armed legacy, with not just one but TWO shoulder-mounted microscope cannons, arm shields, and a large handgun <ref>[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p110</ref>. The figure may have been intended as a pilot or driver for an Action Master vehicle, as the handgun has handlebars jutting off either side. Or perhaps the aforementioned munition was engineered to be wielded in an akimbo manner.

*The initial inspiration for Perceptor came from the anime series [[wikipedia:Armored_Trooper_Votoms|''Armored Trooper Votoms'']]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], designing toys for Takara at the time, liked the microscope look of the heads of the mecha from that series and applied it in a more literal sense with the Microchange toy, but his involvement ended at the conceptual stage.

*In a rather surprising twist of events, part of this article has been placed on the cover of [[All Hail Megatron issue 15]]. The result is a [[micro-continuity]] in which Perceptor reads this Wiki. What is this "fourth wall" you speak of, reader?

* Like a lot of other Transformers, Perceptor was never released in the UK.{{fact}}. As a result, the Commemorative Edition was the first version sold in the country and was an Amazon exclusive.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Perceptor/perceptor.htm Perceptor at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Perceptor Perceptor's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

==Footnotes==
<references />

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Perceptor (G1)

2010-08-07T13:58:18Z

125.237.143.160: /* Victory cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Perceptor}}
:''Perceptor is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Perceptor reissueart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Back off, man. I'm a scientist."]]
'''Perceptor''' is a scientist, one of the most astute minds the whole of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] can offer. He is perpetually seeking to increase knowledge, and his discoveries have repeatedly proven invaluable. Though his specialties lie in metallurgy, electrical engineering, and additional sciences closely concomitant to Transformer physiology, his thirst for knowledge has made him a kind of scientific jack-of-all-trades.

One of Perceptor's most infamous mannerisms is his tendency to engage in verbal communication using scientific terminology. This has the unforeseen result of exasperating and occasionally frustrating his comrades. One might hypothesize that the jovial mechanoid is unaware that not everyone with whom he seeks to communicate shares his extensive vocabulary.

Engaging in physical melee is not his preferred activity. He is content to make his contributions to the Autobot cause in the manner in which he deems sufficient, but will engage in combat if the situation requires. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] often relies on Perceptor's perspicacity, and considers him as inestimable as any of his officers.

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Percepto'''
:''Italian name'': '''Supervista''' ("Super-sight")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Észlelő'''
:''Victory [[Omni Productions]] dub name'': '''Doctor Baster'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Paul Eiding]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama|Chikao Shiroyama]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Microbots shrink.JPG|thumb|right|200px|All my tubes and wires and careful notes!]]

Perceptor appeared on [[Earth]] during a period of time occurring after the initial impact of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] into the planet. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} It is unknown exactly when he had arrived, but the malfunctions he suffered during the [[Cybertonium]] depletion crisis would lead one to conclude that he had been present when the Ark crashed onto prehistoric Earth during the encounter wih the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During his period of habitation on that planetary body, he experienced a myriad of adventures. Included in that scope were incidents such as reconfiguring his mass ratio to a microscopic scale using the [[transmat reduction beam]] in order to sever the connection of the [[Heart of Cybertron]] to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s body. Upon doing so, he proceeded to dispose of the object by having [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] throw the volatile energy source approximately two thousand feet into the sky and shooting it with his mobile cannon mode. {{storylink|Microbots}}

When Megatron perpetrated an egregious assault on the Autobots' reputation and had them forcibly expelled from their residency on Earth, Perceptor was indubitably among their number. A fortuitous sequence of events allowed the Autobots to return to their former planetary location and extradict the Decepticons from their dominion over the [[human]]s. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} During another adventure, a series of aberrant mechanical malfunctions began afflicting the Autobots. Perceptor was incapable of altering from his microscope configuration, and expeditiously determined that the complication was a depletion of [[Cybertonium]]. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

During a constitutional along a seaboard, Perceptor, [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] were assailed by an assortment of Decepticons. Remarkably, [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] appeared impervious to damage, and both Perceptor and Seaspray were captured and escorted to the submerged Decepticon headquarters. With the inclusion of Beachcomber, the three Autobots were able to effect an adequate escape and rejoin their cohorts in time to confront the [[Electrum]]-coated Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

In an endeavor to assist [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], who had run into difficulty on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], one of [[Saturn]]'s attendant moons, Perceptor and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] traversed space in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Although Omega's energy was depleted by the journey, Perceptor was able to locate a prodigious accumulation of [[energy crystal]]s, with which he subsequently reenergized Omega, allowing them to repel the Decepticon invaders and effect a peregrination back to Earth. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}

[[Image:G1 cartoon Perceptor Pencil sword.JPG|left|200px|thumb|The pen...cil is mightier than the sword!]]

On another occasion, Perceptor and an assemblage of Autobots and Decepticons were propelled across the interstellar void by the [[space bridge]], landing on an unexplored world in which Cybertronian lifeforms were minuscule in relation to the immense indigenous population. After a series of alarming endangerments, Perceptor determined that a toy rocket ship possessed by the boy [[Aron]], whose abode they had happened into, could be modified to return the Autobots home. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} Calamitously, their mode of transport was intercepted by an alien named [[Bosch]], who utilised a mechanism to place the Autobots in a submissive state, intending to barter them for energon. [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] was eventually able to emancipate Perceptor and his fellows with the assistance of the bounty hunter [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Examining a sample of extraterrestrial matter transported to Earth on [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s back, Perceptor was able to ascertain that Cosmos had inadvertently imported [[Morphobot]]s, a genus of robotic flora which consumed mechanical life. His exhortation was sufficient to save Cosmos and the Morphobots were soon dispatched to a more suitable biosphere; however, the sample he had acquired had also propagated to the point where it threatened to consume him along with his laboratory. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

Perceptor's spectrographic analysis of an ore sample determined that the asteroid from which it originated was, in fact, alive. In an unfortunate turn of events, Optimus Prime had just commanded Omega Supreme to obliterate said asteroid. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Yet another enterprise took Perceptor to a world inhabited by transforming organic creatures who had been enslaved by the Decepticons. He assisted in liberating the [[Tlalakan]]s, and was subsequently bemused by Bumblebee's notion that they should make a wish on the first stellar object they sighted. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Perceptor kick.JPG|thumb|right|200px|I don't believe it! There she goes again! She's tidied up and I can't find anything!]]

He also synthesized a panacea to remedy all corrosion, with the appellation [[corrostop]], and was decorated by the humans for his ingenuity. Megatron also coveted his assistance, but for a dire emergency — the Decepticon had become afflicted by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] and it transpired that corrostop was the only counteragent. Not content with merely being ameliorated, Megatron exploited Perceptor in a machination to infect the Autobots with Cosmic Rust, and all sources of [[Ingredient X]], an imperative component of corrostop, had been exhausted. Perceptor and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] labored to make the [[matter duplicator]] operational so that more corrostop could be constituted and the Autobots saved. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

Perceptor and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] discovered a disquieting fact — that an aberrant disruption emanating from Cybertron was causing a shift in Earth's orbit, resulting in the planet's imminent collision with the nearest stellar body! The Autobots and Decepticons were forced to collaborate to avoid destruction in the [[Sun]]; however, the Insecticons masticated the space bridge controls, rendering the possibility of its use dubious. With donated components, Perceptor repaired the space bridge and dispatched the amalgamated force to Cybertron to subjugate the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Rumblevsperceptor.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I can smell the chemicals!]]

Perceptor's actions continued to be of intrinsic strategic import, particularly following the distinct tactical deficiencies during the [[battle of Autobot City]] that resulted in the expiration of Wheeljack, and pointing out that "gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities" as the Autobots fled Earth. As a member of Ultra Magnus's company, he was marooned on planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he contended with the indigenous race of mechanisms, designated [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. During the decisive battle against [[Unicron]], Perceptor was stationed aboard the Junkion vessel when Unicron crushed it in his grasp, though fortunately was not a casualty of the catastrophe and could later be distinguished celebrating the antagonist's defeasance. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Perceptor had a mission of paramount importance and tasked it to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. After the Galactic Olympics were disrupted by unknown assailants, he examined some debris but was unable to determine the exact nature of the attackers. He proposed he accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] on an undertaking to investigate the Decepticons, but Rodimus elected to procure [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s abetment instead. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Perceptor later valiantly defended Cybertron against Decepticon intrusion. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

The inexplicable resurrection of Optimus Prime led Perceptor and the rest of the Autobots on a mission of retaliation against the [[Quintesson]]s for the supposed termination of a selection of Autobots, including Rodimus Prime. When it transpired that a shuttle Optimus commanded the Autobots fire on in fact contained their still-functioning comrades, Perceptor was all too happy to arrest the ill-fated assault. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

[[Image:G1 ForeverIsALongTime Pipes Rodimus Perceptor.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]

On a second entanglement with the Quintessons, Perceptor was incapacitated early in the conflict and unable to prevent several of his fellow Autobots from traversing a [[Time Window|chronal displacement aperture]] to Cybertron's distant past. Although [[Pipes]] was an adequate physician, Perceptor regained normal function subsequent to the resolution of the situation. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After [[Fort Knox]] dematerialized, a preliminary examination by Perceptor of [[energon cube]]s discovered at the locale indicated they were contaminated with [[Dinosaur transform static]]. Further analysis indicated the cubes were of Decepticon manufacture, exonerating the Dinobots and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Tracing the point of origin to [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]], the Autobots located the appropriated architecture and liberated the country from the habitation of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

Perceptor was part of an ambush set for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] when the incorporeal spirit of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessed [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} When Wheelie and the [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Spike's immature offspring]] developed curiosity over Ultra Magnus's construction date, they consulted Perceptor, who suggested they scrutinize the [[Hall of Records]], unaware of the endangerment the pair would soon face. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Investigating another disappearance on the part of Daniel, this time complemented by Grimlock, Perceptor operated a Quintesson contrivance which transposed a rescue party to the domain of [[Menonia]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} While excavating [[isodrite]] in an asteroid belt, a team of Autobots was beleaguered by Decepticons, however as Perceptor observed, Galvatron was wreaking more havoc with his own troops than the Autobots. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[Image:CarnageCMinor Perceptor microscope.jpg|thumb|left|200px|That's not where you look into a microscope, Hot Spot.]]
Perceptor's calculations later tracked the Decepticons down to a comet, where the blackguards were installing an apparatus to propel it into [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. During the altercation, a resonance of extreme amplitude disrupted proceedings, causing all present to expeditiously descent towards a nearby planetary body named [[Eurythma]]. As the Decepticons prepared to resume hostilities, Perceptor dismantled [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] with one discharge of his artillery mode. He proceeded to participate in a diversionary engagement while Ultra Magnus and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] contacted the indigenous sentient life who communicated entirely in melody. {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

Detecting an aberrant semaphore on a Quintesson frequency, Perceptor allocated the mission to Sky-Lynx, Blaster and [[Outback]]. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} He later oversaw the installation of a new power core on Cybertron. Not long after this occurrence, Galvatron unleashed a [[Dweller|grotesque monstrosity]] with the ability to metamorphose Transformers into energy vampires. Perceptor not only formulated a remedy involving the infusing of a plethora of energy, but was able to effect the catharsis of the Dweller from Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} He was equivalently successful in restoring Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to their mechanoid forms after they were transplanted into organic bodies. {{storylink|Only Human}}

[[Image:PerceptorNijika01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Memoirs of a tiny alien robot geisha with a male alien robot's transplanted brain]]
During the instatement of another power generator, Perceptor expressed a desire for an increase in the Dinobots' brainpower, to which Grimlock responded with a aggressive exclamation regarding his fist and Perceptor's cranium. Malfunctions caused by strange energy emanating from the generator resulted in Grimlock's intelligence being increased manifold, outstripping even Perceptor's own acumen. The Autobots journeyed to Unicron's skull in orbit around Cybertron, where they were incapacitated by [[anti-electron]]s. Providentially, Grimlock was able to construct a brigade of [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s to salvage the situation. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

During one of his final known excursions with Rodimus, Perceptor plummeted onto an [[Zamojin (planet)|alien world]] in a state of [[transformation paralysis]]. What's worse, his [[universal emulator]] was taken from his body and transplanted into the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] construct called [[Nijika]], which resulted in Perceptor's consciousness taking up residence within that form. All things considered, he took it quite well, and his alterations to the emulator resulted in the Quintessons inadvertently extricating the world from its incarceration. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Fight! Super Robot Lifeform manga=====
=====Victory cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masaharu Satō]] (Japanese)

Perceptor, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Minerva]] were summoned, called forth, or otherwise sought out by [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] to save, preserve, and defend the life of the critically damaged and weakened [[Ginrai]]. They succeeded, converting the former [[Transtector]] into the mighty [[Victory Leo]].{{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Later when Victory Leo's programing was going haywire Preceptor explaned to Jean that his curcits were not completly kicked in yet.{{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} When [[Deasthsaruas (Victory)|Deszaras]] desined a missile system to keep the Autobots at bay, Star Saber told him the only way to stop him was to combine with Victory Leo. At first he refused to let it happen but Star Saber changed his mind.{{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} Later Preceptor was seen in a ship headded off Earth but Wheeljack and Minerva were not seen going with him but thats what most likely happened. {{Jean - Defend the Campus}}

=====Japanese ''Generation 2'' story pages=====
[[Image:G2StoryPageWheeljackPerceptor1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Look at him, all tiny back there.]]
Perceptor, along with Wheeljack and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], discovered [[Reconfiguration Matrix|new properties]] of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime subsequent to a crushing defeat by Megatron. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 4}}
{{-}}

=====Teletraan Go! Go! comics=====
[[Image:TGGPerceptor1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The doctor is in...sane.]]
Sent to gather data on Perceptor, [[Teletraan 15]] found him giggling creepily over a microchip and telling it that it was time for its check-up.

[[Image:TGGPerceptor2.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Wheeee!]]As she recoiled in horror, Perceptor's tone became clinical and, retracting his faceplate, he demanded that she identify herself. After Teletraan 15 recorded her notes on the Autobot scientist, he transformed into his seldom-seen mobile battle mode and took her for a ride... whether she wanted it or not.
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
On Cybertron, Perceptor was often considered an officer or otherwise highly ranked personage by other Cybertronic life forms in the vicinity, inspiring in the aforementioned others a tendency to view him as a "commander" of a faction of Autobots who engaged in armed conflict against localized enemy forces until such a point as the aforementioned combat unit, or the surviving portions thereof, crossed the multidimensional warp system for transport, otherwise known as the Space Bridge, to join the forces based on the planetary body known to the overwhelming majority of those of his species who had shifted their operations to its locality as Earth. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} His most recent appearance had him suffering from defective circuits in the Arctic, preventing him fom detecting the presence of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] of the [[Tentakil (G1)|multipod variety]]. He was later listed as deactivated for a somewhat extended period of time, by human standards if not by those of his species, by the opposing faction (as judged by an outside observer who insists on a binary classification system) as a result of the [[Underbase]] conflict, so named for the goal of the conflict, a legendary storehouse of Cybertronic knowledge. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In a parallel junction of quantum-temporal values, Perceptor aided his fellow residents of [[Autobot City]] in the initiation of combat proceedings against unwanted [[Quintesson]] visitors possessing acutely nefarious intent. Unfortunately, said combat proceedings proved to be incapable of properly sustaining the necessary level of applied force to rebuke and rebuff the forward progress of the invading hostile xeno-biological entities, leading to a cessation of proper operating status for Perceptor and several of his Autobot co-actors. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

''One solar-terrestrial revolution cycle later, Perceptor again responded to the presence of hostile activities when an Autobot interstellar transport shuttle made a sudden and disastrous relocation from space to earth at velocities far exceeding safety protocols. At the shuttle's location, Perceptor fell into a paradoxical situation necessitating that the Autobots save their commander [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] from his own disparate mental status. {{storylink|White Fire}}''

====Generation 2====
Perceptor did not engage in random fisticuffs and altercations with the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], for that would most emphatically be in a milieu of activity not of his preference. Alternatively, he participated in an expedition of a scientific nature to the lunar orbiting body of [[J'asik]] to determine what nefarious entity had structurally destabilized the populace at a molecular level. His findings unveiled astonishing and almost inarticulable obfuscations from deep in the Cybertronian past. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

===Universe: The Wreckers===
Perceptor counseled [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] against making a leadership decision that, when one considers both the opinions of observers that are generally regarded as wise, to such an extent as observers with finite capacity for knowledge can comprehend the infinite, and the final results of the decision in question, could be regarded as less than optimal.

Knowing the commander in question many of those reading this documentation may surmise the result... {{storylink|Betrayal}}

===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics continuity===
Perceptor was again held to be an officer or leader, a position he occupied with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], among a group of underground Autobots on Cybertron after the unexpected return of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who had disappeared along with Optimus Prime many years ago in an early [[space bridge]] test, commanding the [[Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]-form drones. The combat efficiency of these Air Warriors, as they were also known, led to a Decepticon conquest of Cybertron, as well as the enslavement of many Autobots. During this period, Perceptor theorized that if Megatron had survived the space bridge explosion, one could logically conclude that Optimus Prime also survived. At a base appropriately designated the [[Think Tank]], Perceptor designed and built a device intended to locate Optimus Prime. Before a proper test of the device could be conducted, Perceptor's group managed to capture an Air Warrior, with the intentions of examining its systems with the hope of finding an effective counter measure against the drones. {{storylink|War Within: The Age of Wrath}} Unfortunately, financial irregularities on the part of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Pat Lee|President]] resulted in the company filing for Chapter 11, where it currently remains in Bankruptcy court to this day, precluding any possible end to the story at this time.

Millions of years after the aforementioned events, Perceptor again allied with a group of Autobots who opposed the oppressive regime of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but these activities were covert in nature and he publicly remained a respected Autobot scientist. He presented evidence of Shockwave's unorthodox experiments on various Transformers, as well as the fact that Cybertron's spatial coordinates seemed to have changed, to the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. The High Council was unwilling to take any constitutional action against Shockwave, over feelings of gratitude for his assistance in restoring the peace, even after they were verbally accosted by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Ultimately, any censure or movement against Shockwave was discontinued due to a rampage on the part of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. After Optimus Prime escaped custody and united the various resistance movements, Perceptor participated in the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]'s offensive against [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's fortifications]] within Hub Capital Iacon. He also helped to repair [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], commander of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], despite the latter's well known bias against intellectuals. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
In the year 1985, Perceptor and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] hastily took off for [[Earth]] in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel, despite Perceptor's protests. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of [[Oregon]] near [[Mount St. Hilary]]. They were discovered there by a [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] team led by [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]. {{storylink|Targets of Opportunity}}

{{note|Due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy, Blaster and Perceptor's motivations for coming to Earth - and pretty much anything else - were never revealed.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Perceptor accompanied [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Teletran 3]], where he providing covering fire for Magnus and captured [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] with an energy rope. He then tapped into Teletran 3 and learned that it had transported a random number of Cybertronians into various points in [[Earth]]'s timeline, which would cause a temporal feedback that would destroy the planet unless they were retrieved. Thankfully, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] were happy to save their planet, and Perceptor operated Teletran 3 to send them after the missing Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} After that, all he could do was wait inside the slowly dying force field erected around Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} Unfortunately, the field went down before all the rescue teams had returned, and the Autobots were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who taunted Perceptor as he allowed his Earth-destruction scenario to play out. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} It was not to be, however, as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were retrieved from Earth's distant past and ripped Shockwave's forces apart, saving Perceptor and the other prisoners. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

Some time later, Perceptor was sent to [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] on Earth to oversee the decommissioning of Cybertronian technology along with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Before he had time to do much other than greet [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] and deliver a message from Optimus Prime, the facility came under attack by Cobra, and Perceptor had to help fight them off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} Bumblebee went missing during the battle, and the Autobots followed his [[energy signature]] to the lowest areas of Area 52, only to find the head of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], deactivated two years earlier. Perceptor was outraged that the humans had been experimenting with something so dangerous, but [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] insisted that he had been completely unaware. As it turned out, Megatron's remains had been used to make the dangerous and hostile [[Serpentor|Serpent Organic Robot]], who forced the [[G.I. Joe battle mech|Joes' mech suits]] to fight against Perceptor and the other Autobots before warping to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

The Autobots and Joes followed him, and Perceptor called [[Capitol City]] for reinforcements before discovering the movement signals of several [[cannibalizer]]s around them. They escaped from the monstrosities, only to run straight into Serpent O.R.'s newly recruited Decepticon army, who captured them before Perceptor's reinforcements had time to arrive. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} They were eventually freed thanks to [[Snake-Eyes]]'s ninja tricks. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} While fighting their way out of the Decepticon base, the Autobots learned that Serpent O.R. had also captured Optimus Prime, and they went to rescue him. When they arrived, Serpent O.R.'s body had been transformed by the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and was now being controlled by [[Cobra Commander]]. The Cobra leader used his tentacles to smash Perceptor's shoulder to pieces, and with a cry of "Goodness!", the scientist was taken out of action. After Cobra Commander was defeated by Hawk, Perceptor listened to [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] tell funny stories about [[Barbecue]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Perceptor served on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], acting as a peer to acting-commander [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]. He appeared to know [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] of old, and helped him with his investigation. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

[[Image:SpotlightBlaster Perceptor whitestatic.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cut the crap, Perceptor, and just get the cable back up!]]
He later transferred aboard the ''[[Ark-17]]'', along with [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and others in a mission to rescue an insane [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] from the crystal planet. Perceptor voiced the general consensus of those who had embarked upon the voyage to attempt to dissuade Springer of the less than optimal, considering resource allotment, military operation he had accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

Kup was eventually rescued and taken to [[Kimia Facility]] where Perceptor and the scientists there helped repair Kup using [[Pretender]] technology. Overseeing the operation, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] also had Perceptor secretly install subroutines into Kup that would allow Prowl to have control over the old codger. Though Perceptor opposed this, he followed his orders. Perceptor also was assigned to Kup's unit to keep a supply of [[cigar|cy-gar]]s handy to keep Kup sane. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Everything in Its Right Place|Everything in Its Right Place}}

Perceptor later accompanied Kup on a mission to rescue some captured [[Wrecker]]s and was badly injured during the operation, but was saved by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}} After healing from his injuries, Perceptor decided to make some upgrades to his body, making him more useful as a warrior. He gave himself a near-impervious breastplate, aiming arm stabilizers and a monocle-like targeting optic. He demonstrated these to great effect, taking out [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] in one blast during a rescue of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Lost & Found|Lost & Found}}

[[Image:Slowmotionmoviewalkahm5.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Like every other tough-guy group walk in the movies...]]
Sporting a decidedly dour demeanor, Perceptor obtained a modicum of prominence on Kup's team. Perceptor opted to become more directly involved in deeply discomfiting the Decepticons... until their inopportune crash-landing on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} When some [[Insecticon swarm|swarms of Insecticons]] made an appearance, he once again displayed his disturbing targeting proficiency, inflicting immediate and conclusive damage on one scout with only minimal effort. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Later, when the Autobots fled from the Swarm, they had planted some explosive charges to several bridges in order to cut off their pursuers. When they passed one of the bridges, Kup ordered Perceptor to shoot the charges, which he did with two small handblasters. However, he was taken out by a dart fired off by a Swarm (who got blasted for its effort). {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} He was soon back on his feet, helping the other Autobots set up a defensive turret at their base. This saddened [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], who would rather have had the "old" Perceptor help him and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] repair Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} After almost getting overrun by the Swarm, Perceptor and the other Autobots were rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who carried them all to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers2 Perceptor Sniping.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He's a sniperer now; he can't be concerned with the laws of physics!]]
Perceptor was still by Kup's side three years later, by which time both of them had joined the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1}}

When they stumbled upon the injured former Wrecker [[Impactor]], Perceptor checked up on him and found a [[deterrence chip]] embedded in his skull. He soon had to switch mindsets from scientist to sniper again, though, as the Wreckers were sent to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s clutches. During the initial attack, Perceptor shot down Decepticon jets while hanging upside-down from the Autobots' drop pod. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2}}

After their drop pod had crash-landed inside Garrus-9, Perceptor and his team found themselves surrounded by Decepticons and confronting Overlord himself. Overlord killed [[Rotorstorm]] right in front of them and told the Wreckers to surrender. Perceptor calmly ordered [[Pyro]] to protect the stowaway [[Verity Carlo]], while he, [[Ironfist]], and [[Topspin (G1)| Topspin]] launched themselves at the Decepticon. Overlord easily thrashed all of them, and upon hearing that there were Wreckers in another part of Garrus-9, offered freedom to any other Decepticon who brought him the head of a Wrecker. The Wreckers beat a hasty retreat as a mob of Decepticons started after them, and Perceptor managed to delay them by sniping and detonating a spare fuel tank they had brought along.

Perceptor and Topspin had to take a moment to deal with a shaken Ironfist’s anxiety over Rotorstorm’s death, then set to finding their main objective; [[Aequitas]]. Perceptor located the chamber in which it was housed and a ravaged [[Fortress Maximus (G1)| Fortress Maximus]], who had been made into a “living lock pick” for the door. Perceptor had the access codes and got everyone in, revealing Aequitas to them.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3}}

Perceptor explained what Aequitas was to the others, and he quickly set to work on trying to find an access terminal for it. When he finally did locate it, he discovered a problem; Aequitas was protected by a “suicide lock”. Perceptor told the others that someone had to willingly donate their spark to bypass it, and it couldn’t be him, as he was the only one who could operate the supercomputer. After some argument, Ironfist agreed to be the sacrifice, only to be beaten to the punch by Topspin. With Topspin’s death, Perceptor gained access to Aequitas’ system. He copied the hard drive and uploaded it into Ironfist for safekeeping. As Decepticons began to break through the chamber’s door, Perceptor pointed out he could kill them all by triggering their deterrence chips through Aequitas.

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers5- Ironfist Perceptor Verity.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]
Pyro and Verity were against this, as it meant Impactor would die as well, but Perceptor denied Verity a vote and looked to Ironfist for the tie-breaker. Ironfist, having learned the truth of Impactor’s crimes from the Aequitas upload, glumly cast his lot in with Perceptor.
{{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4}}

Verity continued to argue against it, arguing that the Wreckers as idealized by Ironfist would never take the easy way out. Perceptor changed his mind, deciding that Verity was right and they’ll simply fight their way out. Pyro volunteered to stay behind and buy them time to escape, and once the door was breached, Perceptor and Ironfist slipped by the Decepticons. At Ironfist’s prompting, they headed to Garrus-9’s armory.

Shortly thereafter, Perceptor and the others arrived outside, where the remaining Wreckers were fighting Overlord. As the Decepticon held Springer up with one arm, Perceptor sniped his hand off, forcing him to drop the Wreckers’ leader. But Overlord managed to tear Springer’s face off and blast Perceptor into unconsciousness before finally being defeated by Ironfist, Verity, and the revived Impactor. While no further mention was made of him, it’s most likely Perceptor survived and recovered from his wounds. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1toy-Perceptor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Because it's easier to see small things when you have a giant laser cannon aiming at them.]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Autobot, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''39'''
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Formerly a [[Micro Change|Microchange]] MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a predominantly red, functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X<ref>Perceptor's [[instructions]].</ref> due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a spring-loaded rocket launcher that can fire one of three red missile-shaped projectiles(functional only in the Takara release).

: A holdover from his Microchange origins, Perceptor can also transform into a 'tank' mode.

: The Japanese version does ''not'' launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.

: There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.

: The mold was later [[redeco]]ed to make [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]].
{{-}}

===Transformers Collection===
*'''Cybertron Perceptor''' (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-19'''
: Perceptor was [[Generation 1 reissues|reissued]] in Japan as part of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Transformers Collection]]'' line.
{{-}}
===Classics===
[[Image:ClassicsLOCPerceptor toy.jpg|right|175px|thumb|"I will blow up your whole city. For science."]]
*'''Perceptor''' (Legends, 2006)

: Available as part of the first assortment of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'', Perceptor is a [[redeco]] of the ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
====G1 Series====
{{picsneeded}}
*'''Perceptor''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
: Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the [[Universe (2008 toyline)|''Universe'' line]]. The [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).

:Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most G1 toys, but were straight out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun.

{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Perceptor''' (Deluxe, 2011)

:Perceptor is based on a combination of ''Generation 1'' Perceptor and [[Perceptor (Animated)|''Animated'' Perceptor]]. The vehicle mode is inspired by the ''Animated'' character's altmode. The toy will be redecoed into [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. <ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-hasbro-designers-panel-170066/</ref>

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Perceptor''' (2002)
===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Perceptor''' (2003)

[[Image:HOC Perceptor.jpg|right|100px|thumb|What's the deal with corn nuts?]]
:Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese [[Super Collection Figure]] line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He came with the head and sword of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] build-a-figurine.
{{-}}
===Robot Heroes===
*'''Perceptor vs. Hardshell''' (2009)

[[Image:Robotheroesperceptorhardshell.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Now competing on "Iron Chemist"]]
: Part of the fourth wave of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', Perceptor packed versus [[Bombshell (G1)|Hardshell]] as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
{{-}}

==Notes==
*In the animated portion of Perceptor's original toy commercial, he is presented as being quite small, the size a microscope would be in relation to Prime's robot form, and not growing at all, but remaining just as tiny in robot form.

* A Perceptor [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. Unlike some other Action Masters, the art is based solely on the toy, including its faceplate. It has the distinction of carrying on Perceptor's well-armed legacy, with not just one but TWO shoulder-mounted microscope cannons, arm shields, and a large handgun <ref>[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p110</ref>. The figure may have been intended as a pilot or driver for an Action Master vehicle, as the handgun has handlebars jutting off either side. Or perhaps the aforementioned munition was engineered to be wielded in an akimbo manner.

*The initial inspiration for Perceptor came from the anime series [[wikipedia:Armored_Trooper_Votoms|''Armored Trooper Votoms'']]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], designing toys for Takara at the time, liked the microscope look of the heads of the mecha from that series and applied it in a more literal sense with the Microchange toy, but his involvement ended at the conceptual stage.

*In a rather surprising twist of events, part of this article has been placed on the cover of [[All Hail Megatron issue 15]]. The result is a [[micro-continuity]] in which Perceptor reads this Wiki. What is this "fourth wall" you speak of, reader?

* Like a lot of other Transformers, Perceptor was never released in the UK.{{fact}}. As a result, the Commemorative Edition was the first version sold in the country and was an Amazon exclusive.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Perceptor/perceptor.htm Perceptor at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Perceptor Perceptor's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

==Footnotes==
<references />

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2010-08-07T13:45:03Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Fortress Maximus}}
:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[City-bot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:FortMax1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]
Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]].

In the in Japan his head is formed by another robot named Fortress who is like Cerebros but with a Fortress Maximus looking head. His mortal enemy is [[Scorponok (G1)|Mega Zarak]]. His Brother is [[Grand Maximus]] a scaled down version of him with more red.

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose English comic, English cartoon and Japanese cartoon incarnations were very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Cerebros''', '''Fortress''' (see below)
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Forteresse Maximus'''
:''[[Omni Productions]] dub name:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (starship mode only)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Ford''' / '''Fort''' (福特 ''Fú Tè'')
:''Chinese name (Taiwan version of RTM dub):'' '''Furmon''' (福蒙 ''Fú Méng'') / '''Fortry''' (福催 ''Fú Tsūei'')

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Ringofhate-evilstain.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He is mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore!]]
Fortress Maximus was an architect in his early career, designing and even constructing many works on Cybertron. When the war came, he reluctantly turned his talents to fighting. {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe profile}}

During the long absence of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and their respective troops from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], unit commander Fortress Maximus established a headquarters in the [[Manganese Mountains]] and continued the fight against Scorponok's Decepticon contingent.

One fine day on Cybertron, Fort Max's troops staged an ambush on Scorponok's Decepticons, who had just leveled an Autobot city and were marching their prisoners toward the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. Maximus's troops cut a swath through the Decepticon ranks, quickly driving them into retreat.

{{bigquote|Whether I am a hero or a coward is ''not'' the issue! I am ''weary!'' My joints creak from the corrosion of ''war without end!'' I... cannot break this ring of hate that surrounds us all -- but I can remove myself from it. No matter what you decide... I am leaving.|Fortress Maximus announces his decision to quit the war|"[[Ring of Hate!]]"}}

[[Image:Ringofhate-pangalactic.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"...And that, prospective investors, is why GoogleSaturn will make a million dollars per month."]]
Though his troops were jubilant at their victory, the battle was the last straw for Fortress Maximus. He had become so sick of the war that he decided to leave it. He didn't care if it made him a coward or not, he simply believed that the war would go on regardless of whether or not he was in it. Maximus declared that no matter what the others decided, he was leaving for the planet of [[Nebulos]], a world he had long studied and which seemed to be at peace. His stunned troops agreed, and together constructed a starship dubbed the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' to propel them across the void.

Fortress Maximus immediately sent [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] as an messenger to the Nebulan natives; however, an accident made it appear that the giant robots from outer space came with hostile intent. Some of the more reactionary elements among the Nebulan leadership conspired to make Fort Max's envoy [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] also appear to have hostile intent, and thus were able to incite their fellow Nebulans to arms.

[[Image:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Dibs on the off-color jokes!]]
Fortress Maximus and his troops thus found themselves under a full attack from the Nebulans. Max ordered his troops to not fight back, despite complaints from the likes of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and covered them as they retreated into the woods.

Faced with a newly hostile enemy, Fortress Maximus resolved to wage peace, not war. Gathering ten of his followers, he marched up to the Nebulan capital of [[Koraja]], begged to be heard out, and had his group discard their weapons. When that didn't work, he did the next logical thing and pulled his head off. Four other Autobots also resorted to this grotesque stunt before [[Galen]], head of the Nebulan [[World Watchers]], was convinced they weren't a threat. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[Image:Brokenglass-autobotstorage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My honey my baby, don't put my head upon no shelf.]]
The five Autobots' heads were stored in a warehouse, and Galen occasionally consulted with Fortress Maximus, keeping him up to date on outside events as anti-robot protests rocked the capital city.

Soon after, a horde of the Autobots' Decepticon foes appeared before the city gates. Max advised Galen that turning the Autobots over to Scorponok would not prevent him from attacking, and under the Autobot-Nebulan peace agreement, Galen could not simply restore the five Autobots to their bodies. But together with [[Arcana]], the pair came up with another plan. Five volunteer Nebulans were bio-engineered to combine with special armor, and transform into likenesses of the Autobots heads, connecting with and controlling them through the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]]. Galen himself became Fortress Maximus's new partner. Fortress Maximus led his newly-enhanced troops against Scorponok, and soundly defeated his numerically superior squad. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

[[Image:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I'm just a-runnin' down the road, trying to loosen my load, got a world of troubles on my mind.]]
Fortress Maximus remained inert while Galen performed his various duties. He came back online to lead the Headmasters to the [[Grax Communications Facility]], where a number of Nebulan leaders were apparently being held hostage by the Decepticons. It turned out to be a trap, however, as the Decepticons had also become Headmasters, with Galen's rival Zarak now bonded to Scorponok himself. Using several Nebulans as a distraction, Scorponok's troops overpowered Fort Max and the others, taking them hostage. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Max remained out of commission until Zarak, briefly overcoming Scorponok's influence on his mind, freed Galen and the other Autobot-allied Nebulans. Fort Max and company smashed their way out of the holding facility, then ran straight into the newly-formed Decepticon Targetmasters. Max briefly led his troops against the Decepticons, but opted to retreat rather than fight it out. To spare Koraja the carnage of a full-scale fight to the finish, he covered their retreat with the time-honored technique of smashing his enemies with Koraja's metal sculpture of the planet Nebulos. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

''Scorponok and Zarak challenged Fortress Maximus and Galen (here called "Kord") to a duel to settle their differences. Kord/Maximus won by cheating, but it didn't matter because the duel was a ruse to distract the Autobots while [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] stole Autobot fuel converters. The Deceptions had bugged the Autobot base and learned of Earth. They needed the converters to travel there. The Decepticons left for Earth and the Autobots followed.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the [[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]] mini-series.}}

Returning to the Autobot camp, Max/Galen decided to lead the troops away from Nebulos, knowing that Scorponok would follow. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He does seem to have trouble staying in one piece, doesn't he?]]
During their voyage to Earth, Fortress Maximus underwent a radical reconstruction to alter his size considerably, increasing himself from a slightly tall dude to a ''very'' tall dude, about twice the height of the average Transformer. Of course, with his larger scale, Fortress Maximus needed a new head (Galen still being stuck at roughly human size). For this reason, another Autobot, [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], was added to serve as a secondary stage between Galen and Maximus. As the head of Cerebros, Galen could transform Cerebros into the larger head of Fortress Maximus.

Arriving on Earth, Fortress Maximus led his fellow Headmasters to [[Mount St. Hilary]], source of the Autobot distress call that had drawn them to Earth. After recovering the damaged [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], the group encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], who had come in search of his missing younger brother [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. Spike asked for the Autobots' help in finding his brother, but Fortress Maximus was more interested in their primary mission of locating the Autobots of Earth, and he led his troops off to follow the fuel trail of the missing [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-trialbyfire-rollout.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The usage of "roll out" gets stranger and stranger.]]
Scorponok's crew soon followed Maximus to Earth, however, and to the same cave. When Spike replayed Goldbug's distress message, Fortress Maximus and company returned to the cave, apologizing to Spike for his failure to consider the danger he had brought to Earth's natives by leading the Decepticons there.

In the ensuing battle, Spike retreated further into the volcano's caves to seek shelter. Scorponok followed, seeking a hostage, and Fortress Maximus pursued him. As the caves narrowed down, Maximus was forced to send Cerebros onward, and eventually Galen himself had to leave Cerebros to cross a fragile rock bridge. Scorponok used the distraction to blast rocks down on Galen, killing him. As the Decepticon leader left, laughing, Galen passed on his control helmet to Spike, allowing the Earthling to assume control of Fortress Maximus and drive the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Spike soon underwent the full binary bonding process and became the leader of the ''Steelhaven'''s crew of Autobots. With his new partner, Fortress Maximus led the Autobot [[Targetmaster]]s in an effort to locate Buster, first visiting his father at a shady motel, then heading to a spot in the tropics where the Decepticons had set up an island base.

[[Image:Clubconpalmtreespear.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The purpose of Club Con is to flip out and spear people.]]
With Kup worried about the inexperience of Fortress Maximus's new partner, Max held back while the Targetmasters landed on the island. They were driven back by automated defenses, however, and the island revealed itself to be a rocket ship, launching into the atmosphere with Buster still aboard. Maximus resolved to take matters into his own hands, and took off after the rocket (who knew he could fly?) Unfortunately, once in space, the ship's defenses made shishkabob out of him, forcing Spike to resort to using Cerebros instead. Cerebros was likewise trashed by an attack from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], though Spike was able to use Maximus's guns to send Shockwave falling to his apparent demise. Maximus and his partners were subsequently rescued by the Targetmasters, and for his gusto, Spike was welcomed as the group's new leader. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}}

As Fortress Maximus underwent repairs, his crew caught wind of a [[floppy disk]] in possession of one [[Ethan Zachary]], which contained the memories and personality of Optimus Prime. With the aid of a computer-generated version of Prime, Fortress Maximus gathered a lot of data from Scorponok's [[Pretender]] experiments and gave that ability to some of his own crew. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}}

With the disk in their possession, Fortress Maximus oversaw efforts to build a new body for Optimus Prime's mind. However, the ''Steelhaven'''s resources were depleted after creating the Pretenders, causing the effort to fail explosively. Thus when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] located the Ark nearby, Fortress Maximus was eager to contact its Autobots and forge an alliance.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-totalled-worthlesshuman.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It begs the question of why Grimlock didn't just step on him.]]
Unfortunately, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] developed an immediate dislike for Fortress Maximus, partially because he was a possible threat to Grimlock's leadership, partially because he was part human, and partially because he had a fugitive (Goldbug). He challenged "Fruitloop Multipuck" to a duel for leadership on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Faced with the prospect of a divided Autobot force, Fortress Maximus agreed, though his unhealed injuries made victory an unlikely prospect. Luckily for Max, the imprisoned [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] agreed to fill in for him.

[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] led a Decepticon assault on the Autobots during the duel. While fighting off the attackers, Fortress Maximus ordered Goldbug, [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]], [[Getaway]], and [[Slapdash]] to take the disk to Nebulos to restore Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

With Optimus Prime restored, Maximus accepted a subordinate role in the Autobot ranks. ''He was among those Autobots present as Optimus Prime briefed the troops about the threat of the time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. When Optimus and five other Autobots spontaneously and explosively vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by six Transformers claiming to be Autobots from the future, Fortress Maximus immediately assumed command, freaked out, and ordered his troops to destroy the "imposters". (Apparently, his memory was a little rusty, since said "imposters" included his own present-day troops Kup and Blurr.) Maximus sparred with Rodimus Prime until the words of Goldbug, as well as a Matrix-linked Optimus Prime, convinced him that Rodimus was telling the truth when he claimed to be a future Autobot leader. Maximus participated in the subsequent battle against Megatron and Galvatron; he attacked Megatron alongside Grimlock and Swoop, but was quickly put down by the battle-crazed Decepticon.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

[[Image:Fortmaxboat.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Contrary to what's advertised here, the toy will sink if you put it in the bathtub.]]
Fortress Maximus provided a floating search platform for Optimus and Blaster as they searched the ocean for the Decepticons' [[Club Con]] base. Spike expressed frustration that they still had not located his brother, though Optimus vowed to keep searching. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

Fort Max was among the many Autobots who responded to an Autobot emergency signal in the Arctic... which turned out to be sent by none other than Buster Witwicky, who was dying of hypothermia. Maximus took his human sibling into a special thermal compartment, restoring his body temperature to normal.

When the Decepticons attacked soon after, Maximus came under attack from the [[Horrorcon]]s, followed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who clung to him tenaciously and eventually caused Buster to spill out of the warming compartment. This turned out to be a lucky break, as Buster reminded Ratbat that the battle was nothing but a ruse engineered by Starscream. Ratbat and Maximus together called for all the combatants to lay down their arms.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Cast in the name of God, Ye not guilty]]
After Starscream seized the power of the [[Underbase]], Fortress Maximus and Soundwave led a team to [[Buenos Aires]] to try and stop him. As their troops fell en masse, Maximus attacked Starscream, only to receive a debilitating energy blast in return. His organic component, however, allowed him to survive the first attack. Omega Supreme intervened just then, preventing Maximus from being crushed by a monument hurled by Starscream. Starscream disposed of Omega, and was on the verge of finishing off Maximus, when he was lured away by a radio signal from Buster aboard the Ark. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|So why couldn't he have just kept Cerebros attached to him and gone on with his life?]]
With Buster rescued and the threat of Starscream removed, Spike and Fortress Maximus's tumultuous relationship came to light. Feeling his work with the Autobots was done, Spike tried to go his own way and resume his life, going so far as to pitch his control helmet into a junkyard, but his binary bond could not be left behind so easily. Strange nightmares plagued him, visions of falling into a void. Nor would the Decepticons relent; while on a skiing expedition, he found himself hunted by Carnivac and Snarler. Turning inwards, he found his link to Fortress Maximus remained even without the control helmet and that he could summon the giant warrior from afar. Max left his storage space aboard the Ark and descended to Earth. Despite Carnivac's dirty fighting, Fort Max easily disposed of the two attackers and their Pretender shells, once he and Spike physically recombined. With the battle over, Spike sent Fortress Maximus back to the Ark. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}}

Despite Spike's reconciliation, Fortress Maximus was subsequently out of action for many months or even years. He was still stored aboard the Ark just before the great battle with Unicron, when Grimlock and his Dinobots had returned from [[Hydrus Four]]. They had come looking for the rest of the Autobots, but the Ark's scanners were only picking up one Transformer. Weirder still, this Transformer was in ''two'' parts! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

{{note|It's kind of odd that [[Primus]] didn't warp Fortress Maximus with every other Transformer on Earth, but it's implied that it's because half of him was on the Ark. Odder still is that the Dinobots didn't notice or mention that half of this Transformer was on the Ark with them.}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-thelastautobot1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|]]
After Unicron was defeated, the Ark plummeted to Earth and crashed in the northern tundra of Canada. When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from the wreckage to wreak havoc, it fell to Fortress Maximus to stop him. He called to Spike, who came. He and Spike went through some mental wrangling before Max convinced Spike to reunite with him once more. Anxious and desperate after so long out of the war, Maximus immediately suppressed his hesitating partner and took full control upon regaining his head. This proved not to be such a wise idea. Fortress Maximus alone wasn't quite ready to deal with the totally insane Galvatron, who started smashing and biting(!) him to pieces. Realizing the power of their combined strength, Spike and Fortress Maximus managed to unite in thought and deed, and defeated the crazed Decepticon. Fortress Maximus stood alone at the battle's end, the last Autobot, guardian of Earth. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Fortressmaximus-allornothing2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Let me demonstrate just how much you don't have a [[To sell toys|toy on the shelves]] anymore.]]
It was ultimately [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] who would prove to be the undoing of this giant warrior. The reborn and reconditioned Decepticon leader stole the Ark from its crash site in Canada, and used it as his personal flagship. {{storylink|Realignments}} While establishing control over the ship, Megatron found and disabled Fort Max's dormant form. Spike sneaked aboard the ship and rejoined with Maximus, but the damage inflicted by Megatron meant they had virtually no chance to win.

Brutally beaten in combat with an upgraded and super-charged Megatron, the pair dragged themselves to the heart of the ship and threw themselves into the anti-matter containment unit at the core of its power supply, killing them both and causing the Ark to explode. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}

Though it kept the Ark out of Megatron's hands, and nearly derailed his plans entirely, their effort was ultimately not successful: Megatron escaped aboard a shuttle and lived to fight again, and even had time to take the convalescent Starscream with him. {{storylink|New Dawn}} {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Yasui Kunihiko]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]

When a battle for possession of the [[key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[Image:Rebirth3_fortmax_battlestation.jpg|left|250px|thumb]]

The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to robot mode, Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradciated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese animated continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless Transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' Transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====

[[Image:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]]

[[Image:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[Image:Hm1_battleship_maximus.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[Transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these Transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' Transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own Transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

[[Image:Hm2_kup_and_fortress.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[Image:Hm5_fortmax_headmode.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[Image:Hm6_fortmax_funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorpho|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[Image:Hm10_fortress_appointed_commander.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]

Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Solar 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a lifeform from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic Transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Hm17_maximus_vs_scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[Image:Hm23_fortmax_sword_slash.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Susei]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Susei's queen. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Susei!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and Darhos, where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop a gang of prisoners from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[Image:Hm25_fortress_cradles_magnus.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[Image:Hm26_weak_spot.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[Image:Hm28_fortress_examines_targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]

With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster]]s" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[Image:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[Image:Hm31_fortmax_defeated.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly-forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[Image:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmag metal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[Image:Hm35_final_battle.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmag dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's Transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[Image:KPBraveMax.jpg|right|thumb|115px]]
{{note|Fortress's cameo appearance in ''Kiss Players'' is set shortly after his arrival on Master.}}

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented Transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}}/{{storylink|15 Go! Go!|15 Go! Go! Sparkbot Chapter 3}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====

{{note|The events of the Headmasters manga take place concurrently with the Headmasters cartoon.}}

[[Image:Manga fort max.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}
====TV Magazine ''Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new Transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/730/37/ Master File #1]</ref>

{{note|Following the end of the ''Headmasters'' franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]], the other is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (manga)|''Masterforce'' manga]]. Fortress plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|right|thumb]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)

Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Fortress's Autobots, Fortress did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Fortress sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon after, Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}
{{--}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====

[[Image:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]

When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fort Max getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax_manga.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{--}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with Ultra Magnus. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, though, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{Storylink|The War Within issue 4}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|300px|thumb|You wanna argue with him?]]
A somewhat less pacifistic Fortress Maximus (Seriously, he repeatedly threatened to kill his prisoners or otherwise "strip them down to their spark cores") was the warden in charge of [[Garrus-9]], an Autobot-run penitentiary where both Autobot and Decepticon prisoners were kept in containment. As the ultimate imprisonment, most inmates were reduced down to their [[spark]] and [[laser core]] alone, held inanimate in a storage center known as "The Rig" until such a time as Fort Max deemed to rebuild and release them, if ever. Astoundingly, this method was deemed too "merciful" for at least one [[Impactor|prisoner]].

Fortress Maximus was one of many Autobots across the galaxy who watched a news report heralding the miraculous return of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] encountered the [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] [[Combiner|combiners]] on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s asteroid bunker, he sent them to Garrus-9 with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], hoping the science team could help the six recover from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experimentations. Fortress Maximus was dubious of the possible results, but allowed Jetfire and his team to run their tests at Garrus-9. Things changed for the worse, however, once word of the gestalt technology got out, and agents of the [[Decepticon Secret Service]] came to claim the remarkable new tech for themselves. Faced with an incredible amount of orbital bombardment and ground warfare, Fortress Maximus and his defensive crew were at serious risk of being overrun.

In order to maintain control of his base, Max reactivated the only Autobot inmate classified as Threat Level-9: [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Knowing Arcee had strong feelings about Jhiaxus and his work from personal experience, Fortress Maximus felt confident she would do anything to prevent the Decepticons from laying claim to the "[[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]." In case he was wrong, though, Fort Max made it clear to Arcee she was lowjacked with synchronized G-forces that would crush her spark if she stepped out of line. Despite Arcee's help, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] still managed to make off with the gestalt robots. Against his better judgment, Fortress Maximus allowed Jetfire to convince him that Arcee was the best available to track and intercept the Secret Service ships and retrieve or destroy the gestalt robots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

When Optimus Prime and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] met with Fortress Maximus and Jetfire on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout, also mentioned was that a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Maximus and Jetfire exchanged guilty glances. Prime left Maximus in charge and returned with Prowl and Jetfire to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

With the death of [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] was forced to enter the living universe and confront Optimus Prime at Garrus-9. Fortress Maximus and the other Autobots were hunkered down in The Last Resort, the best-defended, highest-security section of the penitentiary, and he believed that not even a [[Cortynivian Shadow Worm]] could get in. He was wrong, as Nemesis effortlessly forced his way in, killed [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] and [[Drench (G2)|Drench]] and shrugged off all Autobot weapons fire. Maximus called in reinforcements until Optimus convinced him that conventional tactics would not work with the undead Prime and went to deal with Nemesis Prime himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

During Megatron's massive push against the Autobots, an annoyed Maximus led the defense of the prison against the [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] forces. However, when the sociopathic [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] took control of the Decepticon forces, the prison was overrun and Fortress Maximus beaten down by the monster. And then, to keep the liberated prisoners on his side, Overlord tossed them their former warden to have some fun... so long as they kept him alive. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers3-Fort Max the cabbage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
The inmates apparently followed Overlord's instructions, as one half of the [[Wrecker]]s eventually came across Maximus's barely-alive body. Rendered comatose and with his optics and limbs pulled off, he had been plugged into the lock of the door to [[Aequitas]]'s chamber, and put to use entering in code after code in a Decepticon attempt to break in. [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] removed Maximus's connection to the lock, then [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Pyro]] pulled his body from the door to carry him. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|Last Stand of the Wreckers #3}}

When the Decepticons broke into the Aequitas chamber, [[Ironfist]] carried Fortress Maximus to safety. Eventually, the Wreckers succeeded in defeating Overlord and saving Garrus-9, and Maximus was placed on life support alongside [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

{{note|Though thickly built, Fortress Maximus is a normal-sized Transformer in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], about the same size as Jetfire.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1FortressMaximus toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If I hear somebody ask "how's the weather up there" one more time, Primus help them...]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster Base, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, [[Cog (G1)|Gasket]], [[Cog (G1)|Grommet]], Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Cannon, Cerebros's Mini Laser Rifle, [[Cog (G1)|Cog]]'s Laser rifle, Radar Scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros's sword (Japanese release only)

: Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy ever produced. In robot mode it stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than its in-fiction rival Scorponok. The original retail price was over $100USD. Taking into account ongoing trends in toy pricing and retail shelf space jockeying, it is highly doubtful any other Transformers even close to this size will ever be made again.

: The toy has multiple alt mode configurations, transforming into a relatively compact "city" mode, and also a secondary mode described in the US instruction as a "battle station." That mode was rebranded as a starship for the Japanese instructions, and is the "default" mode for Fortress Maximus in the ''Headmasters'' animated series. Additionally, the 1987 Hasbro toy catalog features a mis-transformed Fortress Maximus in a mode referred to as an "impenetrable fortress," essentially consisting of his city mode with the legs splayed outwards.

: In all modes, Maximus has a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks. Its left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. Its right leg has a small storage compartment. Its torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]' "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to its central ramp to be launched in its altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm had a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Its robot-mode head is formed by Cerebros, who does not actually need Spike to attach to the upper body. It came with both Headmaster units, plus the Gasket and Grommet mini-vehicles.

: The Japanese release of Fortress Maximus came with a pair of [[Master Sword]]s; one for Fortress, a ''large'' one for Maximus. It is currently unknown if the swords were originally planned for the [[Hasbro]] version but dropped for price or [[For safety reasons|safety concerns]], or if they were a [[Takara]]-initiated addition to their release of the toy.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Grand Maximus]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Cybertron Base]]".
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm More information on Fortress Maximus at TFU.info]

{{-}}

===Transform Jr===
[[Image:G1 FortressMaximus Jnr toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We represent the Lollybot guild]]
* '''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Fortress Headmaster unit, Photon Rifle

: ''[[Transform Jr]]'' Fortress Maximus is a smaller rendering of the character, scaled down to regular Transformer size, and with only one head. Fortress Maximus could only transform from his starship mode to his robot mode, as his legs lack the joints to fold into city mode. Much of his detail and accessories have been simplified into stickers, such as his shin cannons. He comes with only one weapon, his large blue photon rifle.

:This toy was also available in a leaders three-pack with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Convoy]]

::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/fortmaxjr.php More information of Transform Jr Fortress Maximus at Cliffbee.com]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[Image:Tfgum_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' Head, Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Blaster
:Released in the seventh wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of snap-together "[[candy toy]]" model kits, this version of Fortress stands at about four inches tall and is cast in grey, white and blue plastic. Unlike the Headmaster figures from the previous ''Transformers Gum'' wave, this version of Fortress Maximus does away with his Headmaster gimmick, and by sheer necessity of size, also lacks the guns in his forearms and fists and the prison cell in his left leg. He does include both of his hand-held weapons and swing-out waist cannons, however, and he can still transform into both starship and city modes. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-27.html More information on Transformer Gum Fortress Maximus at a Japanese fansite]''
{{--}}

===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1990)
**''Accessories:'' Master Sword

:A small, blue and white non-transforming [[super deformed]] model kit of Fortress Maximus was available as part of Kabaya's "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of candy toys. The twelfth figure in the series, he came with a "Transformers PD Type" comic about himself, "Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!", and more of that alleged "gum".
{{--}}
===Super Collection Figure/Heroes of Cybertron===
[[Image:Fortmax_scf_hoc.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2001)

:Fortress Maximus was the collectible "Build-A-Figure" from the third ''Headmasters''-centric wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s line of ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the other six figurines in the line: His head and sword came with [[Raiden]], his torso with [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], his left arm with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], his right arm with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]], his left leg with [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]] and his right leg with [[Sixshot]].

:As the first collectible figure from the line, Fortress Maximus was much rarer than those that would come later, with his parts only coming in two out of every ten cases. Like all the other figures in the wave, his parts were available in two color schemes; of the two cases he was available in, one contained a full-color figure, while the other contained a colorless translucent version.

*'''Fortress''' (2002)

:A standard 3" PVC figurine of Fortress was available in the eighth and final ''SCF'' wave line. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. Additionally, in eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Fortress came packaged with head and torso of the wave's collectible [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] figure.

*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2003)

: The Fortress Maximus PVC was later revisited by [[Hasbro]] for their domestic release of the ''Super Collection Figure'' series, ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]''. Like all the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures, this version of Fortress Maximus was cast entirely in clear-blue plastic and then painted over, save a small spot on his head to give him a "light-pipe" glowing-eyes effect. He remained available only as a collectible pack-in, one part in each of the six releases in the line's fourth wave. His head and sword came with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], his torso with [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], his left arm with [[Powermaster]] [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]], his right arm with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], his left leg with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Autobot Jazz]] and his right leg with the Autobot Espionage Team ([[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]).

==Notes==
* "Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.

* Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)

* Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.

[[Image:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|250px]]

*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''The Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''The Headmasters'' issue #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' issue #51]]. Its origin is unknown.

* The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].

* When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.

* Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[Knockoff|bootleg]] versions in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a bootleg.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus Fortress Maximus's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Starships]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2010-08-07T13:44:25Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Fortress Maximus}}
:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[City-bot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:FortMax1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]
Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]].

In the in Japan his head is formed by another robot named Fortress who is like Cerebros but with a Fortress Maximus looking head. His mortal enemy is [[Scorponok (G1)|Mega Zarak]] His Brother is [[Grand Maximus]] a scaled down version of him with more red.

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose English comic, English cartoon and Japanese cartoon incarnations were very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Cerebros''', '''Fortress''' (see below)
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Forteresse Maximus'''
:''[[Omni Productions]] dub name:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (starship mode only)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Ford''' / '''Fort''' (福特 ''Fú Tè'')
:''Chinese name (Taiwan version of RTM dub):'' '''Furmon''' (福蒙 ''Fú Méng'') / '''Fortry''' (福催 ''Fú Tsūei'')

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Ringofhate-evilstain.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He is mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore!]]
Fortress Maximus was an architect in his early career, designing and even constructing many works on Cybertron. When the war came, he reluctantly turned his talents to fighting. {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe profile}}

During the long absence of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and their respective troops from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], unit commander Fortress Maximus established a headquarters in the [[Manganese Mountains]] and continued the fight against Scorponok's Decepticon contingent.

One fine day on Cybertron, Fort Max's troops staged an ambush on Scorponok's Decepticons, who had just leveled an Autobot city and were marching their prisoners toward the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. Maximus's troops cut a swath through the Decepticon ranks, quickly driving them into retreat.

{{bigquote|Whether I am a hero or a coward is ''not'' the issue! I am ''weary!'' My joints creak from the corrosion of ''war without end!'' I... cannot break this ring of hate that surrounds us all -- but I can remove myself from it. No matter what you decide... I am leaving.|Fortress Maximus announces his decision to quit the war|"[[Ring of Hate!]]"}}

[[Image:Ringofhate-pangalactic.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"...And that, prospective investors, is why GoogleSaturn will make a million dollars per month."]]
Though his troops were jubilant at their victory, the battle was the last straw for Fortress Maximus. He had become so sick of the war that he decided to leave it. He didn't care if it made him a coward or not, he simply believed that the war would go on regardless of whether or not he was in it. Maximus declared that no matter what the others decided, he was leaving for the planet of [[Nebulos]], a world he had long studied and which seemed to be at peace. His stunned troops agreed, and together constructed a starship dubbed the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' to propel them across the void.

Fortress Maximus immediately sent [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] as an messenger to the Nebulan natives; however, an accident made it appear that the giant robots from outer space came with hostile intent. Some of the more reactionary elements among the Nebulan leadership conspired to make Fort Max's envoy [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] also appear to have hostile intent, and thus were able to incite their fellow Nebulans to arms.

[[Image:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Dibs on the off-color jokes!]]
Fortress Maximus and his troops thus found themselves under a full attack from the Nebulans. Max ordered his troops to not fight back, despite complaints from the likes of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and covered them as they retreated into the woods.

Faced with a newly hostile enemy, Fortress Maximus resolved to wage peace, not war. Gathering ten of his followers, he marched up to the Nebulan capital of [[Koraja]], begged to be heard out, and had his group discard their weapons. When that didn't work, he did the next logical thing and pulled his head off. Four other Autobots also resorted to this grotesque stunt before [[Galen]], head of the Nebulan [[World Watchers]], was convinced they weren't a threat. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[Image:Brokenglass-autobotstorage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My honey my baby, don't put my head upon no shelf.]]
The five Autobots' heads were stored in a warehouse, and Galen occasionally consulted with Fortress Maximus, keeping him up to date on outside events as anti-robot protests rocked the capital city.

Soon after, a horde of the Autobots' Decepticon foes appeared before the city gates. Max advised Galen that turning the Autobots over to Scorponok would not prevent him from attacking, and under the Autobot-Nebulan peace agreement, Galen could not simply restore the five Autobots to their bodies. But together with [[Arcana]], the pair came up with another plan. Five volunteer Nebulans were bio-engineered to combine with special armor, and transform into likenesses of the Autobots heads, connecting with and controlling them through the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]]. Galen himself became Fortress Maximus's new partner. Fortress Maximus led his newly-enhanced troops against Scorponok, and soundly defeated his numerically superior squad. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

[[Image:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I'm just a-runnin' down the road, trying to loosen my load, got a world of troubles on my mind.]]
Fortress Maximus remained inert while Galen performed his various duties. He came back online to lead the Headmasters to the [[Grax Communications Facility]], where a number of Nebulan leaders were apparently being held hostage by the Decepticons. It turned out to be a trap, however, as the Decepticons had also become Headmasters, with Galen's rival Zarak now bonded to Scorponok himself. Using several Nebulans as a distraction, Scorponok's troops overpowered Fort Max and the others, taking them hostage. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Max remained out of commission until Zarak, briefly overcoming Scorponok's influence on his mind, freed Galen and the other Autobot-allied Nebulans. Fort Max and company smashed their way out of the holding facility, then ran straight into the newly-formed Decepticon Targetmasters. Max briefly led his troops against the Decepticons, but opted to retreat rather than fight it out. To spare Koraja the carnage of a full-scale fight to the finish, he covered their retreat with the time-honored technique of smashing his enemies with Koraja's metal sculpture of the planet Nebulos. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

''Scorponok and Zarak challenged Fortress Maximus and Galen (here called "Kord") to a duel to settle their differences. Kord/Maximus won by cheating, but it didn't matter because the duel was a ruse to distract the Autobots while [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] stole Autobot fuel converters. The Deceptions had bugged the Autobot base and learned of Earth. They needed the converters to travel there. The Decepticons left for Earth and the Autobots followed.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the [[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]] mini-series.}}

Returning to the Autobot camp, Max/Galen decided to lead the troops away from Nebulos, knowing that Scorponok would follow. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He does seem to have trouble staying in one piece, doesn't he?]]
During their voyage to Earth, Fortress Maximus underwent a radical reconstruction to alter his size considerably, increasing himself from a slightly tall dude to a ''very'' tall dude, about twice the height of the average Transformer. Of course, with his larger scale, Fortress Maximus needed a new head (Galen still being stuck at roughly human size). For this reason, another Autobot, [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], was added to serve as a secondary stage between Galen and Maximus. As the head of Cerebros, Galen could transform Cerebros into the larger head of Fortress Maximus.

Arriving on Earth, Fortress Maximus led his fellow Headmasters to [[Mount St. Hilary]], source of the Autobot distress call that had drawn them to Earth. After recovering the damaged [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], the group encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], who had come in search of his missing younger brother [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. Spike asked for the Autobots' help in finding his brother, but Fortress Maximus was more interested in their primary mission of locating the Autobots of Earth, and he led his troops off to follow the fuel trail of the missing [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-trialbyfire-rollout.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The usage of "roll out" gets stranger and stranger.]]
Scorponok's crew soon followed Maximus to Earth, however, and to the same cave. When Spike replayed Goldbug's distress message, Fortress Maximus and company returned to the cave, apologizing to Spike for his failure to consider the danger he had brought to Earth's natives by leading the Decepticons there.

In the ensuing battle, Spike retreated further into the volcano's caves to seek shelter. Scorponok followed, seeking a hostage, and Fortress Maximus pursued him. As the caves narrowed down, Maximus was forced to send Cerebros onward, and eventually Galen himself had to leave Cerebros to cross a fragile rock bridge. Scorponok used the distraction to blast rocks down on Galen, killing him. As the Decepticon leader left, laughing, Galen passed on his control helmet to Spike, allowing the Earthling to assume control of Fortress Maximus and drive the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Spike soon underwent the full binary bonding process and became the leader of the ''Steelhaven'''s crew of Autobots. With his new partner, Fortress Maximus led the Autobot [[Targetmaster]]s in an effort to locate Buster, first visiting his father at a shady motel, then heading to a spot in the tropics where the Decepticons had set up an island base.

[[Image:Clubconpalmtreespear.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The purpose of Club Con is to flip out and spear people.]]
With Kup worried about the inexperience of Fortress Maximus's new partner, Max held back while the Targetmasters landed on the island. They were driven back by automated defenses, however, and the island revealed itself to be a rocket ship, launching into the atmosphere with Buster still aboard. Maximus resolved to take matters into his own hands, and took off after the rocket (who knew he could fly?) Unfortunately, once in space, the ship's defenses made shishkabob out of him, forcing Spike to resort to using Cerebros instead. Cerebros was likewise trashed by an attack from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], though Spike was able to use Maximus's guns to send Shockwave falling to his apparent demise. Maximus and his partners were subsequently rescued by the Targetmasters, and for his gusto, Spike was welcomed as the group's new leader. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}}

As Fortress Maximus underwent repairs, his crew caught wind of a [[floppy disk]] in possession of one [[Ethan Zachary]], which contained the memories and personality of Optimus Prime. With the aid of a computer-generated version of Prime, Fortress Maximus gathered a lot of data from Scorponok's [[Pretender]] experiments and gave that ability to some of his own crew. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}}

With the disk in their possession, Fortress Maximus oversaw efforts to build a new body for Optimus Prime's mind. However, the ''Steelhaven'''s resources were depleted after creating the Pretenders, causing the effort to fail explosively. Thus when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] located the Ark nearby, Fortress Maximus was eager to contact its Autobots and forge an alliance.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-totalled-worthlesshuman.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It begs the question of why Grimlock didn't just step on him.]]
Unfortunately, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] developed an immediate dislike for Fortress Maximus, partially because he was a possible threat to Grimlock's leadership, partially because he was part human, and partially because he had a fugitive (Goldbug). He challenged "Fruitloop Multipuck" to a duel for leadership on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Faced with the prospect of a divided Autobot force, Fortress Maximus agreed, though his unhealed injuries made victory an unlikely prospect. Luckily for Max, the imprisoned [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] agreed to fill in for him.

[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] led a Decepticon assault on the Autobots during the duel. While fighting off the attackers, Fortress Maximus ordered Goldbug, [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]], [[Getaway]], and [[Slapdash]] to take the disk to Nebulos to restore Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

With Optimus Prime restored, Maximus accepted a subordinate role in the Autobot ranks. ''He was among those Autobots present as Optimus Prime briefed the troops about the threat of the time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. When Optimus and five other Autobots spontaneously and explosively vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by six Transformers claiming to be Autobots from the future, Fortress Maximus immediately assumed command, freaked out, and ordered his troops to destroy the "imposters". (Apparently, his memory was a little rusty, since said "imposters" included his own present-day troops Kup and Blurr.) Maximus sparred with Rodimus Prime until the words of Goldbug, as well as a Matrix-linked Optimus Prime, convinced him that Rodimus was telling the truth when he claimed to be a future Autobot leader. Maximus participated in the subsequent battle against Megatron and Galvatron; he attacked Megatron alongside Grimlock and Swoop, but was quickly put down by the battle-crazed Decepticon.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

[[Image:Fortmaxboat.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Contrary to what's advertised here, the toy will sink if you put it in the bathtub.]]
Fortress Maximus provided a floating search platform for Optimus and Blaster as they searched the ocean for the Decepticons' [[Club Con]] base. Spike expressed frustration that they still had not located his brother, though Optimus vowed to keep searching. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

Fort Max was among the many Autobots who responded to an Autobot emergency signal in the Arctic... which turned out to be sent by none other than Buster Witwicky, who was dying of hypothermia. Maximus took his human sibling into a special thermal compartment, restoring his body temperature to normal.

When the Decepticons attacked soon after, Maximus came under attack from the [[Horrorcon]]s, followed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who clung to him tenaciously and eventually caused Buster to spill out of the warming compartment. This turned out to be a lucky break, as Buster reminded Ratbat that the battle was nothing but a ruse engineered by Starscream. Ratbat and Maximus together called for all the combatants to lay down their arms.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Cast in the name of God, Ye not guilty]]
After Starscream seized the power of the [[Underbase]], Fortress Maximus and Soundwave led a team to [[Buenos Aires]] to try and stop him. As their troops fell en masse, Maximus attacked Starscream, only to receive a debilitating energy blast in return. His organic component, however, allowed him to survive the first attack. Omega Supreme intervened just then, preventing Maximus from being crushed by a monument hurled by Starscream. Starscream disposed of Omega, and was on the verge of finishing off Maximus, when he was lured away by a radio signal from Buster aboard the Ark. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|So why couldn't he have just kept Cerebros attached to him and gone on with his life?]]
With Buster rescued and the threat of Starscream removed, Spike and Fortress Maximus's tumultuous relationship came to light. Feeling his work with the Autobots was done, Spike tried to go his own way and resume his life, going so far as to pitch his control helmet into a junkyard, but his binary bond could not be left behind so easily. Strange nightmares plagued him, visions of falling into a void. Nor would the Decepticons relent; while on a skiing expedition, he found himself hunted by Carnivac and Snarler. Turning inwards, he found his link to Fortress Maximus remained even without the control helmet and that he could summon the giant warrior from afar. Max left his storage space aboard the Ark and descended to Earth. Despite Carnivac's dirty fighting, Fort Max easily disposed of the two attackers and their Pretender shells, once he and Spike physically recombined. With the battle over, Spike sent Fortress Maximus back to the Ark. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}}

Despite Spike's reconciliation, Fortress Maximus was subsequently out of action for many months or even years. He was still stored aboard the Ark just before the great battle with Unicron, when Grimlock and his Dinobots had returned from [[Hydrus Four]]. They had come looking for the rest of the Autobots, but the Ark's scanners were only picking up one Transformer. Weirder still, this Transformer was in ''two'' parts! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

{{note|It's kind of odd that [[Primus]] didn't warp Fortress Maximus with every other Transformer on Earth, but it's implied that it's because half of him was on the Ark. Odder still is that the Dinobots didn't notice or mention that half of this Transformer was on the Ark with them.}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-thelastautobot1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|]]
After Unicron was defeated, the Ark plummeted to Earth and crashed in the northern tundra of Canada. When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from the wreckage to wreak havoc, it fell to Fortress Maximus to stop him. He called to Spike, who came. He and Spike went through some mental wrangling before Max convinced Spike to reunite with him once more. Anxious and desperate after so long out of the war, Maximus immediately suppressed his hesitating partner and took full control upon regaining his head. This proved not to be such a wise idea. Fortress Maximus alone wasn't quite ready to deal with the totally insane Galvatron, who started smashing and biting(!) him to pieces. Realizing the power of their combined strength, Spike and Fortress Maximus managed to unite in thought and deed, and defeated the crazed Decepticon. Fortress Maximus stood alone at the battle's end, the last Autobot, guardian of Earth. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Fortressmaximus-allornothing2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Let me demonstrate just how much you don't have a [[To sell toys|toy on the shelves]] anymore.]]
It was ultimately [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] who would prove to be the undoing of this giant warrior. The reborn and reconditioned Decepticon leader stole the Ark from its crash site in Canada, and used it as his personal flagship. {{storylink|Realignments}} While establishing control over the ship, Megatron found and disabled Fort Max's dormant form. Spike sneaked aboard the ship and rejoined with Maximus, but the damage inflicted by Megatron meant they had virtually no chance to win.

Brutally beaten in combat with an upgraded and super-charged Megatron, the pair dragged themselves to the heart of the ship and threw themselves into the anti-matter containment unit at the core of its power supply, killing them both and causing the Ark to explode. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}

Though it kept the Ark out of Megatron's hands, and nearly derailed his plans entirely, their effort was ultimately not successful: Megatron escaped aboard a shuttle and lived to fight again, and even had time to take the convalescent Starscream with him. {{storylink|New Dawn}} {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Yasui Kunihiko]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]

When a battle for possession of the [[key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[Image:Rebirth3_fortmax_battlestation.jpg|left|250px|thumb]]

The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to robot mode, Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradciated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese animated continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless Transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' Transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====

[[Image:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]]

[[Image:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[Image:Hm1_battleship_maximus.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[Transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these Transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' Transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own Transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

[[Image:Hm2_kup_and_fortress.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[Image:Hm5_fortmax_headmode.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[Image:Hm6_fortmax_funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorpho|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[Image:Hm10_fortress_appointed_commander.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]

Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Solar 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a lifeform from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic Transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Hm17_maximus_vs_scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[Image:Hm23_fortmax_sword_slash.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Susei]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Susei's queen. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Susei!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and Darhos, where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop a gang of prisoners from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[Image:Hm25_fortress_cradles_magnus.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[Image:Hm26_weak_spot.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[Image:Hm28_fortress_examines_targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]

With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster]]s" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[Image:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[Image:Hm31_fortmax_defeated.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly-forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[Image:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmag metal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[Image:Hm35_final_battle.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmag dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's Transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[Image:KPBraveMax.jpg|right|thumb|115px]]
{{note|Fortress's cameo appearance in ''Kiss Players'' is set shortly after his arrival on Master.}}

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented Transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}}/{{storylink|15 Go! Go!|15 Go! Go! Sparkbot Chapter 3}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====

{{note|The events of the Headmasters manga take place concurrently with the Headmasters cartoon.}}

[[Image:Manga fort max.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}
====TV Magazine ''Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new Transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/730/37/ Master File #1]</ref>

{{note|Following the end of the ''Headmasters'' franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]], the other is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (manga)|''Masterforce'' manga]]. Fortress plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|right|thumb]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)

Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Fortress's Autobots, Fortress did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Fortress sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon after, Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}
{{--}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====

[[Image:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]

When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fort Max getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax_manga.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{--}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with Ultra Magnus. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, though, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{Storylink|The War Within issue 4}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|300px|thumb|You wanna argue with him?]]
A somewhat less pacifistic Fortress Maximus (Seriously, he repeatedly threatened to kill his prisoners or otherwise "strip them down to their spark cores") was the warden in charge of [[Garrus-9]], an Autobot-run penitentiary where both Autobot and Decepticon prisoners were kept in containment. As the ultimate imprisonment, most inmates were reduced down to their [[spark]] and [[laser core]] alone, held inanimate in a storage center known as "The Rig" until such a time as Fort Max deemed to rebuild and release them, if ever. Astoundingly, this method was deemed too "merciful" for at least one [[Impactor|prisoner]].

Fortress Maximus was one of many Autobots across the galaxy who watched a news report heralding the miraculous return of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] encountered the [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] [[Combiner|combiners]] on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s asteroid bunker, he sent them to Garrus-9 with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], hoping the science team could help the six recover from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experimentations. Fortress Maximus was dubious of the possible results, but allowed Jetfire and his team to run their tests at Garrus-9. Things changed for the worse, however, once word of the gestalt technology got out, and agents of the [[Decepticon Secret Service]] came to claim the remarkable new tech for themselves. Faced with an incredible amount of orbital bombardment and ground warfare, Fortress Maximus and his defensive crew were at serious risk of being overrun.

In order to maintain control of his base, Max reactivated the only Autobot inmate classified as Threat Level-9: [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Knowing Arcee had strong feelings about Jhiaxus and his work from personal experience, Fortress Maximus felt confident she would do anything to prevent the Decepticons from laying claim to the "[[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]." In case he was wrong, though, Fort Max made it clear to Arcee she was lowjacked with synchronized G-forces that would crush her spark if she stepped out of line. Despite Arcee's help, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] still managed to make off with the gestalt robots. Against his better judgment, Fortress Maximus allowed Jetfire to convince him that Arcee was the best available to track and intercept the Secret Service ships and retrieve or destroy the gestalt robots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

When Optimus Prime and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] met with Fortress Maximus and Jetfire on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout, also mentioned was that a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Maximus and Jetfire exchanged guilty glances. Prime left Maximus in charge and returned with Prowl and Jetfire to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

With the death of [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] was forced to enter the living universe and confront Optimus Prime at Garrus-9. Fortress Maximus and the other Autobots were hunkered down in The Last Resort, the best-defended, highest-security section of the penitentiary, and he believed that not even a [[Cortynivian Shadow Worm]] could get in. He was wrong, as Nemesis effortlessly forced his way in, killed [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] and [[Drench (G2)|Drench]] and shrugged off all Autobot weapons fire. Maximus called in reinforcements until Optimus convinced him that conventional tactics would not work with the undead Prime and went to deal with Nemesis Prime himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

During Megatron's massive push against the Autobots, an annoyed Maximus led the defense of the prison against the [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] forces. However, when the sociopathic [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] took control of the Decepticon forces, the prison was overrun and Fortress Maximus beaten down by the monster. And then, to keep the liberated prisoners on his side, Overlord tossed them their former warden to have some fun... so long as they kept him alive. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers3-Fort Max the cabbage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
The inmates apparently followed Overlord's instructions, as one half of the [[Wrecker]]s eventually came across Maximus's barely-alive body. Rendered comatose and with his optics and limbs pulled off, he had been plugged into the lock of the door to [[Aequitas]]'s chamber, and put to use entering in code after code in a Decepticon attempt to break in. [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] removed Maximus's connection to the lock, then [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Pyro]] pulled his body from the door to carry him. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|Last Stand of the Wreckers #3}}

When the Decepticons broke into the Aequitas chamber, [[Ironfist]] carried Fortress Maximus to safety. Eventually, the Wreckers succeeded in defeating Overlord and saving Garrus-9, and Maximus was placed on life support alongside [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

{{note|Though thickly built, Fortress Maximus is a normal-sized Transformer in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], about the same size as Jetfire.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1FortressMaximus toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If I hear somebody ask "how's the weather up there" one more time, Primus help them...]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster Base, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, [[Cog (G1)|Gasket]], [[Cog (G1)|Grommet]], Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Cannon, Cerebros's Mini Laser Rifle, [[Cog (G1)|Cog]]'s Laser rifle, Radar Scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros's sword (Japanese release only)

: Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy ever produced. In robot mode it stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than its in-fiction rival Scorponok. The original retail price was over $100USD. Taking into account ongoing trends in toy pricing and retail shelf space jockeying, it is highly doubtful any other Transformers even close to this size will ever be made again.

: The toy has multiple alt mode configurations, transforming into a relatively compact "city" mode, and also a secondary mode described in the US instruction as a "battle station." That mode was rebranded as a starship for the Japanese instructions, and is the "default" mode for Fortress Maximus in the ''Headmasters'' animated series. Additionally, the 1987 Hasbro toy catalog features a mis-transformed Fortress Maximus in a mode referred to as an "impenetrable fortress," essentially consisting of his city mode with the legs splayed outwards.

: In all modes, Maximus has a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks. Its left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. Its right leg has a small storage compartment. Its torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]' "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to its central ramp to be launched in its altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm had a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Its robot-mode head is formed by Cerebros, who does not actually need Spike to attach to the upper body. It came with both Headmaster units, plus the Gasket and Grommet mini-vehicles.

: The Japanese release of Fortress Maximus came with a pair of [[Master Sword]]s; one for Fortress, a ''large'' one for Maximus. It is currently unknown if the swords were originally planned for the [[Hasbro]] version but dropped for price or [[For safety reasons|safety concerns]], or if they were a [[Takara]]-initiated addition to their release of the toy.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Grand Maximus]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Cybertron Base]]".
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm More information on Fortress Maximus at TFU.info]

{{-}}

===Transform Jr===
[[Image:G1 FortressMaximus Jnr toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We represent the Lollybot guild]]
* '''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Fortress Headmaster unit, Photon Rifle

: ''[[Transform Jr]]'' Fortress Maximus is a smaller rendering of the character, scaled down to regular Transformer size, and with only one head. Fortress Maximus could only transform from his starship mode to his robot mode, as his legs lack the joints to fold into city mode. Much of his detail and accessories have been simplified into stickers, such as his shin cannons. He comes with only one weapon, his large blue photon rifle.

:This toy was also available in a leaders three-pack with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Convoy]]

::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/fortmaxjr.php More information of Transform Jr Fortress Maximus at Cliffbee.com]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[Image:Tfgum_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' Head, Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Blaster
:Released in the seventh wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of snap-together "[[candy toy]]" model kits, this version of Fortress stands at about four inches tall and is cast in grey, white and blue plastic. Unlike the Headmaster figures from the previous ''Transformers Gum'' wave, this version of Fortress Maximus does away with his Headmaster gimmick, and by sheer necessity of size, also lacks the guns in his forearms and fists and the prison cell in his left leg. He does include both of his hand-held weapons and swing-out waist cannons, however, and he can still transform into both starship and city modes. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-27.html More information on Transformer Gum Fortress Maximus at a Japanese fansite]''
{{--}}

===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1990)
**''Accessories:'' Master Sword

:A small, blue and white non-transforming [[super deformed]] model kit of Fortress Maximus was available as part of Kabaya's "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of candy toys. The twelfth figure in the series, he came with a "Transformers PD Type" comic about himself, "Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!", and more of that alleged "gum".
{{--}}
===Super Collection Figure/Heroes of Cybertron===
[[Image:Fortmax_scf_hoc.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2001)

:Fortress Maximus was the collectible "Build-A-Figure" from the third ''Headmasters''-centric wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s line of ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the other six figurines in the line: His head and sword came with [[Raiden]], his torso with [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], his left arm with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], his right arm with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]], his left leg with [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]] and his right leg with [[Sixshot]].

:As the first collectible figure from the line, Fortress Maximus was much rarer than those that would come later, with his parts only coming in two out of every ten cases. Like all the other figures in the wave, his parts were available in two color schemes; of the two cases he was available in, one contained a full-color figure, while the other contained a colorless translucent version.

*'''Fortress''' (2002)

:A standard 3" PVC figurine of Fortress was available in the eighth and final ''SCF'' wave line. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. Additionally, in eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Fortress came packaged with head and torso of the wave's collectible [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] figure.

*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2003)

: The Fortress Maximus PVC was later revisited by [[Hasbro]] for their domestic release of the ''Super Collection Figure'' series, ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]''. Like all the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures, this version of Fortress Maximus was cast entirely in clear-blue plastic and then painted over, save a small spot on his head to give him a "light-pipe" glowing-eyes effect. He remained available only as a collectible pack-in, one part in each of the six releases in the line's fourth wave. His head and sword came with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], his torso with [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], his left arm with [[Powermaster]] [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]], his right arm with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], his left leg with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Autobot Jazz]] and his right leg with the Autobot Espionage Team ([[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]).

==Notes==
* "Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.

* Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)

* Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.

[[Image:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|250px]]

*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''The Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''The Headmasters'' issue #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' issue #51]]. Its origin is unknown.

* The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].

* When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.

* Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[Knockoff|bootleg]] versions in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a bootleg.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus Fortress Maximus's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Starships]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2010-08-07T13:43:35Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Fortress Maximus}}
:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[City-bot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:FortMax1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]
Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]].

In the [[Japanese continuity]] his head is formed by another robot named Fortress who is like Cerebros but with a Fortress Maximus looking head. His mortal enemy is [[Scorponok (G1)|Mega Zarak]] His Brother is [[Grand Maximus]] a scaled down version of him with more red.

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose English comic, English cartoon and Japanese cartoon incarnations were very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Cerebros''', '''Fortress''' (see below)
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Forteresse Maximus'''
:''[[Omni Productions]] dub name:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (starship mode only)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Ford''' / '''Fort''' (福特 ''Fú Tè'')
:''Chinese name (Taiwan version of RTM dub):'' '''Furmon''' (福蒙 ''Fú Méng'') / '''Fortry''' (福催 ''Fú Tsūei'')

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Ringofhate-evilstain.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He is mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore!]]
Fortress Maximus was an architect in his early career, designing and even constructing many works on Cybertron. When the war came, he reluctantly turned his talents to fighting. {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe profile}}

During the long absence of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and their respective troops from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], unit commander Fortress Maximus established a headquarters in the [[Manganese Mountains]] and continued the fight against Scorponok's Decepticon contingent.

One fine day on Cybertron, Fort Max's troops staged an ambush on Scorponok's Decepticons, who had just leveled an Autobot city and were marching their prisoners toward the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. Maximus's troops cut a swath through the Decepticon ranks, quickly driving them into retreat.

{{bigquote|Whether I am a hero or a coward is ''not'' the issue! I am ''weary!'' My joints creak from the corrosion of ''war without end!'' I... cannot break this ring of hate that surrounds us all -- but I can remove myself from it. No matter what you decide... I am leaving.|Fortress Maximus announces his decision to quit the war|"[[Ring of Hate!]]"}}

[[Image:Ringofhate-pangalactic.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"...And that, prospective investors, is why GoogleSaturn will make a million dollars per month."]]
Though his troops were jubilant at their victory, the battle was the last straw for Fortress Maximus. He had become so sick of the war that he decided to leave it. He didn't care if it made him a coward or not, he simply believed that the war would go on regardless of whether or not he was in it. Maximus declared that no matter what the others decided, he was leaving for the planet of [[Nebulos]], a world he had long studied and which seemed to be at peace. His stunned troops agreed, and together constructed a starship dubbed the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' to propel them across the void.

Fortress Maximus immediately sent [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] as an messenger to the Nebulan natives; however, an accident made it appear that the giant robots from outer space came with hostile intent. Some of the more reactionary elements among the Nebulan leadership conspired to make Fort Max's envoy [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] also appear to have hostile intent, and thus were able to incite their fellow Nebulans to arms.

[[Image:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Dibs on the off-color jokes!]]
Fortress Maximus and his troops thus found themselves under a full attack from the Nebulans. Max ordered his troops to not fight back, despite complaints from the likes of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and covered them as they retreated into the woods.

Faced with a newly hostile enemy, Fortress Maximus resolved to wage peace, not war. Gathering ten of his followers, he marched up to the Nebulan capital of [[Koraja]], begged to be heard out, and had his group discard their weapons. When that didn't work, he did the next logical thing and pulled his head off. Four other Autobots also resorted to this grotesque stunt before [[Galen]], head of the Nebulan [[World Watchers]], was convinced they weren't a threat. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[Image:Brokenglass-autobotstorage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My honey my baby, don't put my head upon no shelf.]]
The five Autobots' heads were stored in a warehouse, and Galen occasionally consulted with Fortress Maximus, keeping him up to date on outside events as anti-robot protests rocked the capital city.

Soon after, a horde of the Autobots' Decepticon foes appeared before the city gates. Max advised Galen that turning the Autobots over to Scorponok would not prevent him from attacking, and under the Autobot-Nebulan peace agreement, Galen could not simply restore the five Autobots to their bodies. But together with [[Arcana]], the pair came up with another plan. Five volunteer Nebulans were bio-engineered to combine with special armor, and transform into likenesses of the Autobots heads, connecting with and controlling them through the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]]. Galen himself became Fortress Maximus's new partner. Fortress Maximus led his newly-enhanced troops against Scorponok, and soundly defeated his numerically superior squad. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

[[Image:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I'm just a-runnin' down the road, trying to loosen my load, got a world of troubles on my mind.]]
Fortress Maximus remained inert while Galen performed his various duties. He came back online to lead the Headmasters to the [[Grax Communications Facility]], where a number of Nebulan leaders were apparently being held hostage by the Decepticons. It turned out to be a trap, however, as the Decepticons had also become Headmasters, with Galen's rival Zarak now bonded to Scorponok himself. Using several Nebulans as a distraction, Scorponok's troops overpowered Fort Max and the others, taking them hostage. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Max remained out of commission until Zarak, briefly overcoming Scorponok's influence on his mind, freed Galen and the other Autobot-allied Nebulans. Fort Max and company smashed their way out of the holding facility, then ran straight into the newly-formed Decepticon Targetmasters. Max briefly led his troops against the Decepticons, but opted to retreat rather than fight it out. To spare Koraja the carnage of a full-scale fight to the finish, he covered their retreat with the time-honored technique of smashing his enemies with Koraja's metal sculpture of the planet Nebulos. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

''Scorponok and Zarak challenged Fortress Maximus and Galen (here called "Kord") to a duel to settle their differences. Kord/Maximus won by cheating, but it didn't matter because the duel was a ruse to distract the Autobots while [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] stole Autobot fuel converters. The Deceptions had bugged the Autobot base and learned of Earth. They needed the converters to travel there. The Decepticons left for Earth and the Autobots followed.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the [[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]] mini-series.}}

Returning to the Autobot camp, Max/Galen decided to lead the troops away from Nebulos, knowing that Scorponok would follow. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He does seem to have trouble staying in one piece, doesn't he?]]
During their voyage to Earth, Fortress Maximus underwent a radical reconstruction to alter his size considerably, increasing himself from a slightly tall dude to a ''very'' tall dude, about twice the height of the average Transformer. Of course, with his larger scale, Fortress Maximus needed a new head (Galen still being stuck at roughly human size). For this reason, another Autobot, [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], was added to serve as a secondary stage between Galen and Maximus. As the head of Cerebros, Galen could transform Cerebros into the larger head of Fortress Maximus.

Arriving on Earth, Fortress Maximus led his fellow Headmasters to [[Mount St. Hilary]], source of the Autobot distress call that had drawn them to Earth. After recovering the damaged [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], the group encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], who had come in search of his missing younger brother [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. Spike asked for the Autobots' help in finding his brother, but Fortress Maximus was more interested in their primary mission of locating the Autobots of Earth, and he led his troops off to follow the fuel trail of the missing [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-trialbyfire-rollout.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The usage of "roll out" gets stranger and stranger.]]
Scorponok's crew soon followed Maximus to Earth, however, and to the same cave. When Spike replayed Goldbug's distress message, Fortress Maximus and company returned to the cave, apologizing to Spike for his failure to consider the danger he had brought to Earth's natives by leading the Decepticons there.

In the ensuing battle, Spike retreated further into the volcano's caves to seek shelter. Scorponok followed, seeking a hostage, and Fortress Maximus pursued him. As the caves narrowed down, Maximus was forced to send Cerebros onward, and eventually Galen himself had to leave Cerebros to cross a fragile rock bridge. Scorponok used the distraction to blast rocks down on Galen, killing him. As the Decepticon leader left, laughing, Galen passed on his control helmet to Spike, allowing the Earthling to assume control of Fortress Maximus and drive the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Spike soon underwent the full binary bonding process and became the leader of the ''Steelhaven'''s crew of Autobots. With his new partner, Fortress Maximus led the Autobot [[Targetmaster]]s in an effort to locate Buster, first visiting his father at a shady motel, then heading to a spot in the tropics where the Decepticons had set up an island base.

[[Image:Clubconpalmtreespear.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The purpose of Club Con is to flip out and spear people.]]
With Kup worried about the inexperience of Fortress Maximus's new partner, Max held back while the Targetmasters landed on the island. They were driven back by automated defenses, however, and the island revealed itself to be a rocket ship, launching into the atmosphere with Buster still aboard. Maximus resolved to take matters into his own hands, and took off after the rocket (who knew he could fly?) Unfortunately, once in space, the ship's defenses made shishkabob out of him, forcing Spike to resort to using Cerebros instead. Cerebros was likewise trashed by an attack from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], though Spike was able to use Maximus's guns to send Shockwave falling to his apparent demise. Maximus and his partners were subsequently rescued by the Targetmasters, and for his gusto, Spike was welcomed as the group's new leader. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}}

As Fortress Maximus underwent repairs, his crew caught wind of a [[floppy disk]] in possession of one [[Ethan Zachary]], which contained the memories and personality of Optimus Prime. With the aid of a computer-generated version of Prime, Fortress Maximus gathered a lot of data from Scorponok's [[Pretender]] experiments and gave that ability to some of his own crew. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}}

With the disk in their possession, Fortress Maximus oversaw efforts to build a new body for Optimus Prime's mind. However, the ''Steelhaven'''s resources were depleted after creating the Pretenders, causing the effort to fail explosively. Thus when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] located the Ark nearby, Fortress Maximus was eager to contact its Autobots and forge an alliance.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-totalled-worthlesshuman.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It begs the question of why Grimlock didn't just step on him.]]
Unfortunately, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] developed an immediate dislike for Fortress Maximus, partially because he was a possible threat to Grimlock's leadership, partially because he was part human, and partially because he had a fugitive (Goldbug). He challenged "Fruitloop Multipuck" to a duel for leadership on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Faced with the prospect of a divided Autobot force, Fortress Maximus agreed, though his unhealed injuries made victory an unlikely prospect. Luckily for Max, the imprisoned [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] agreed to fill in for him.

[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] led a Decepticon assault on the Autobots during the duel. While fighting off the attackers, Fortress Maximus ordered Goldbug, [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]], [[Getaway]], and [[Slapdash]] to take the disk to Nebulos to restore Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

With Optimus Prime restored, Maximus accepted a subordinate role in the Autobot ranks. ''He was among those Autobots present as Optimus Prime briefed the troops about the threat of the time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. When Optimus and five other Autobots spontaneously and explosively vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by six Transformers claiming to be Autobots from the future, Fortress Maximus immediately assumed command, freaked out, and ordered his troops to destroy the "imposters". (Apparently, his memory was a little rusty, since said "imposters" included his own present-day troops Kup and Blurr.) Maximus sparred with Rodimus Prime until the words of Goldbug, as well as a Matrix-linked Optimus Prime, convinced him that Rodimus was telling the truth when he claimed to be a future Autobot leader. Maximus participated in the subsequent battle against Megatron and Galvatron; he attacked Megatron alongside Grimlock and Swoop, but was quickly put down by the battle-crazed Decepticon.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

[[Image:Fortmaxboat.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Contrary to what's advertised here, the toy will sink if you put it in the bathtub.]]
Fortress Maximus provided a floating search platform for Optimus and Blaster as they searched the ocean for the Decepticons' [[Club Con]] base. Spike expressed frustration that they still had not located his brother, though Optimus vowed to keep searching. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

Fort Max was among the many Autobots who responded to an Autobot emergency signal in the Arctic... which turned out to be sent by none other than Buster Witwicky, who was dying of hypothermia. Maximus took his human sibling into a special thermal compartment, restoring his body temperature to normal.

When the Decepticons attacked soon after, Maximus came under attack from the [[Horrorcon]]s, followed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who clung to him tenaciously and eventually caused Buster to spill out of the warming compartment. This turned out to be a lucky break, as Buster reminded Ratbat that the battle was nothing but a ruse engineered by Starscream. Ratbat and Maximus together called for all the combatants to lay down their arms.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Cast in the name of God, Ye not guilty]]
After Starscream seized the power of the [[Underbase]], Fortress Maximus and Soundwave led a team to [[Buenos Aires]] to try and stop him. As their troops fell en masse, Maximus attacked Starscream, only to receive a debilitating energy blast in return. His organic component, however, allowed him to survive the first attack. Omega Supreme intervened just then, preventing Maximus from being crushed by a monument hurled by Starscream. Starscream disposed of Omega, and was on the verge of finishing off Maximus, when he was lured away by a radio signal from Buster aboard the Ark. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|So why couldn't he have just kept Cerebros attached to him and gone on with his life?]]
With Buster rescued and the threat of Starscream removed, Spike and Fortress Maximus's tumultuous relationship came to light. Feeling his work with the Autobots was done, Spike tried to go his own way and resume his life, going so far as to pitch his control helmet into a junkyard, but his binary bond could not be left behind so easily. Strange nightmares plagued him, visions of falling into a void. Nor would the Decepticons relent; while on a skiing expedition, he found himself hunted by Carnivac and Snarler. Turning inwards, he found his link to Fortress Maximus remained even without the control helmet and that he could summon the giant warrior from afar. Max left his storage space aboard the Ark and descended to Earth. Despite Carnivac's dirty fighting, Fort Max easily disposed of the two attackers and their Pretender shells, once he and Spike physically recombined. With the battle over, Spike sent Fortress Maximus back to the Ark. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}}

Despite Spike's reconciliation, Fortress Maximus was subsequently out of action for many months or even years. He was still stored aboard the Ark just before the great battle with Unicron, when Grimlock and his Dinobots had returned from [[Hydrus Four]]. They had come looking for the rest of the Autobots, but the Ark's scanners were only picking up one Transformer. Weirder still, this Transformer was in ''two'' parts! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

{{note|It's kind of odd that [[Primus]] didn't warp Fortress Maximus with every other Transformer on Earth, but it's implied that it's because half of him was on the Ark. Odder still is that the Dinobots didn't notice or mention that half of this Transformer was on the Ark with them.}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-thelastautobot1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|]]
After Unicron was defeated, the Ark plummeted to Earth and crashed in the northern tundra of Canada. When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from the wreckage to wreak havoc, it fell to Fortress Maximus to stop him. He called to Spike, who came. He and Spike went through some mental wrangling before Max convinced Spike to reunite with him once more. Anxious and desperate after so long out of the war, Maximus immediately suppressed his hesitating partner and took full control upon regaining his head. This proved not to be such a wise idea. Fortress Maximus alone wasn't quite ready to deal with the totally insane Galvatron, who started smashing and biting(!) him to pieces. Realizing the power of their combined strength, Spike and Fortress Maximus managed to unite in thought and deed, and defeated the crazed Decepticon. Fortress Maximus stood alone at the battle's end, the last Autobot, guardian of Earth. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Fortressmaximus-allornothing2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Let me demonstrate just how much you don't have a [[To sell toys|toy on the shelves]] anymore.]]
It was ultimately [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] who would prove to be the undoing of this giant warrior. The reborn and reconditioned Decepticon leader stole the Ark from its crash site in Canada, and used it as his personal flagship. {{storylink|Realignments}} While establishing control over the ship, Megatron found and disabled Fort Max's dormant form. Spike sneaked aboard the ship and rejoined with Maximus, but the damage inflicted by Megatron meant they had virtually no chance to win.

Brutally beaten in combat with an upgraded and super-charged Megatron, the pair dragged themselves to the heart of the ship and threw themselves into the anti-matter containment unit at the core of its power supply, killing them both and causing the Ark to explode. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}

Though it kept the Ark out of Megatron's hands, and nearly derailed his plans entirely, their effort was ultimately not successful: Megatron escaped aboard a shuttle and lived to fight again, and even had time to take the convalescent Starscream with him. {{storylink|New Dawn}} {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Yasui Kunihiko]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]

When a battle for possession of the [[key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[Image:Rebirth3_fortmax_battlestation.jpg|left|250px|thumb]]

The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to robot mode, Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradciated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese animated continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless Transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' Transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====

[[Image:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]]

[[Image:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[Image:Hm1_battleship_maximus.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[Transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these Transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' Transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own Transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

[[Image:Hm2_kup_and_fortress.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[Image:Hm5_fortmax_headmode.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[Image:Hm6_fortmax_funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorpho|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[Image:Hm10_fortress_appointed_commander.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]

Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Solar 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a lifeform from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic Transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Hm17_maximus_vs_scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[Image:Hm23_fortmax_sword_slash.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Susei]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Susei's queen. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Susei!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and Darhos, where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop a gang of prisoners from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[Image:Hm25_fortress_cradles_magnus.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[Image:Hm26_weak_spot.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[Image:Hm28_fortress_examines_targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]

With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster]]s" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[Image:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[Image:Hm31_fortmax_defeated.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly-forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[Image:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmag metal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[Image:Hm35_final_battle.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmag dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's Transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[Image:KPBraveMax.jpg|right|thumb|115px]]
{{note|Fortress's cameo appearance in ''Kiss Players'' is set shortly after his arrival on Master.}}

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented Transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}}/{{storylink|15 Go! Go!|15 Go! Go! Sparkbot Chapter 3}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====

{{note|The events of the Headmasters manga take place concurrently with the Headmasters cartoon.}}

[[Image:Manga fort max.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}
====TV Magazine ''Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new Transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/730/37/ Master File #1]</ref>

{{note|Following the end of the ''Headmasters'' franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]], the other is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (manga)|''Masterforce'' manga]]. Fortress plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|right|thumb]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)

Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Fortress's Autobots, Fortress did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Fortress sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon after, Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}
{{--}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====

[[Image:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]

When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fort Max getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax_manga.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{--}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with Ultra Magnus. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, though, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{Storylink|The War Within issue 4}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|300px|thumb|You wanna argue with him?]]
A somewhat less pacifistic Fortress Maximus (Seriously, he repeatedly threatened to kill his prisoners or otherwise "strip them down to their spark cores") was the warden in charge of [[Garrus-9]], an Autobot-run penitentiary where both Autobot and Decepticon prisoners were kept in containment. As the ultimate imprisonment, most inmates were reduced down to their [[spark]] and [[laser core]] alone, held inanimate in a storage center known as "The Rig" until such a time as Fort Max deemed to rebuild and release them, if ever. Astoundingly, this method was deemed too "merciful" for at least one [[Impactor|prisoner]].

Fortress Maximus was one of many Autobots across the galaxy who watched a news report heralding the miraculous return of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] encountered the [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] [[Combiner|combiners]] on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s asteroid bunker, he sent them to Garrus-9 with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], hoping the science team could help the six recover from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experimentations. Fortress Maximus was dubious of the possible results, but allowed Jetfire and his team to run their tests at Garrus-9. Things changed for the worse, however, once word of the gestalt technology got out, and agents of the [[Decepticon Secret Service]] came to claim the remarkable new tech for themselves. Faced with an incredible amount of orbital bombardment and ground warfare, Fortress Maximus and his defensive crew were at serious risk of being overrun.

In order to maintain control of his base, Max reactivated the only Autobot inmate classified as Threat Level-9: [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Knowing Arcee had strong feelings about Jhiaxus and his work from personal experience, Fortress Maximus felt confident she would do anything to prevent the Decepticons from laying claim to the "[[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]." In case he was wrong, though, Fort Max made it clear to Arcee she was lowjacked with synchronized G-forces that would crush her spark if she stepped out of line. Despite Arcee's help, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] still managed to make off with the gestalt robots. Against his better judgment, Fortress Maximus allowed Jetfire to convince him that Arcee was the best available to track and intercept the Secret Service ships and retrieve or destroy the gestalt robots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

When Optimus Prime and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] met with Fortress Maximus and Jetfire on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout, also mentioned was that a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Maximus and Jetfire exchanged guilty glances. Prime left Maximus in charge and returned with Prowl and Jetfire to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

With the death of [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] was forced to enter the living universe and confront Optimus Prime at Garrus-9. Fortress Maximus and the other Autobots were hunkered down in The Last Resort, the best-defended, highest-security section of the penitentiary, and he believed that not even a [[Cortynivian Shadow Worm]] could get in. He was wrong, as Nemesis effortlessly forced his way in, killed [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] and [[Drench (G2)|Drench]] and shrugged off all Autobot weapons fire. Maximus called in reinforcements until Optimus convinced him that conventional tactics would not work with the undead Prime and went to deal with Nemesis Prime himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

During Megatron's massive push against the Autobots, an annoyed Maximus led the defense of the prison against the [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] forces. However, when the sociopathic [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] took control of the Decepticon forces, the prison was overrun and Fortress Maximus beaten down by the monster. And then, to keep the liberated prisoners on his side, Overlord tossed them their former warden to have some fun... so long as they kept him alive. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers3-Fort Max the cabbage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
The inmates apparently followed Overlord's instructions, as one half of the [[Wrecker]]s eventually came across Maximus's barely-alive body. Rendered comatose and with his optics and limbs pulled off, he had been plugged into the lock of the door to [[Aequitas]]'s chamber, and put to use entering in code after code in a Decepticon attempt to break in. [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] removed Maximus's connection to the lock, then [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Pyro]] pulled his body from the door to carry him. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|Last Stand of the Wreckers #3}}

When the Decepticons broke into the Aequitas chamber, [[Ironfist]] carried Fortress Maximus to safety. Eventually, the Wreckers succeeded in defeating Overlord and saving Garrus-9, and Maximus was placed on life support alongside [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

{{note|Though thickly built, Fortress Maximus is a normal-sized Transformer in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], about the same size as Jetfire.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1FortressMaximus toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If I hear somebody ask "how's the weather up there" one more time, Primus help them...]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster Base, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, [[Cog (G1)|Gasket]], [[Cog (G1)|Grommet]], Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Cannon, Cerebros's Mini Laser Rifle, [[Cog (G1)|Cog]]'s Laser rifle, Radar Scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros's sword (Japanese release only)

: Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy ever produced. In robot mode it stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than its in-fiction rival Scorponok. The original retail price was over $100USD. Taking into account ongoing trends in toy pricing and retail shelf space jockeying, it is highly doubtful any other Transformers even close to this size will ever be made again.

: The toy has multiple alt mode configurations, transforming into a relatively compact "city" mode, and also a secondary mode described in the US instruction as a "battle station." That mode was rebranded as a starship for the Japanese instructions, and is the "default" mode for Fortress Maximus in the ''Headmasters'' animated series. Additionally, the 1987 Hasbro toy catalog features a mis-transformed Fortress Maximus in a mode referred to as an "impenetrable fortress," essentially consisting of his city mode with the legs splayed outwards.

: In all modes, Maximus has a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks. Its left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. Its right leg has a small storage compartment. Its torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]' "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to its central ramp to be launched in its altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm had a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Its robot-mode head is formed by Cerebros, who does not actually need Spike to attach to the upper body. It came with both Headmaster units, plus the Gasket and Grommet mini-vehicles.

: The Japanese release of Fortress Maximus came with a pair of [[Master Sword]]s; one for Fortress, a ''large'' one for Maximus. It is currently unknown if the swords were originally planned for the [[Hasbro]] version but dropped for price or [[For safety reasons|safety concerns]], or if they were a [[Takara]]-initiated addition to their release of the toy.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Grand Maximus]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Cybertron Base]]".
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm More information on Fortress Maximus at TFU.info]

{{-}}

===Transform Jr===
[[Image:G1 FortressMaximus Jnr toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We represent the Lollybot guild]]
* '''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Fortress Headmaster unit, Photon Rifle

: ''[[Transform Jr]]'' Fortress Maximus is a smaller rendering of the character, scaled down to regular Transformer size, and with only one head. Fortress Maximus could only transform from his starship mode to his robot mode, as his legs lack the joints to fold into city mode. Much of his detail and accessories have been simplified into stickers, such as his shin cannons. He comes with only one weapon, his large blue photon rifle.

:This toy was also available in a leaders three-pack with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Convoy]]

::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/fortmaxjr.php More information of Transform Jr Fortress Maximus at Cliffbee.com]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[Image:Tfgum_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' Head, Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Blaster
:Released in the seventh wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of snap-together "[[candy toy]]" model kits, this version of Fortress stands at about four inches tall and is cast in grey, white and blue plastic. Unlike the Headmaster figures from the previous ''Transformers Gum'' wave, this version of Fortress Maximus does away with his Headmaster gimmick, and by sheer necessity of size, also lacks the guns in his forearms and fists and the prison cell in his left leg. He does include both of his hand-held weapons and swing-out waist cannons, however, and he can still transform into both starship and city modes. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-27.html More information on Transformer Gum Fortress Maximus at a Japanese fansite]''
{{--}}

===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1990)
**''Accessories:'' Master Sword

:A small, blue and white non-transforming [[super deformed]] model kit of Fortress Maximus was available as part of Kabaya's "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of candy toys. The twelfth figure in the series, he came with a "Transformers PD Type" comic about himself, "Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!", and more of that alleged "gum".
{{--}}
===Super Collection Figure/Heroes of Cybertron===
[[Image:Fortmax_scf_hoc.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2001)

:Fortress Maximus was the collectible "Build-A-Figure" from the third ''Headmasters''-centric wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s line of ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the other six figurines in the line: His head and sword came with [[Raiden]], his torso with [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], his left arm with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], his right arm with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]], his left leg with [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]] and his right leg with [[Sixshot]].

:As the first collectible figure from the line, Fortress Maximus was much rarer than those that would come later, with his parts only coming in two out of every ten cases. Like all the other figures in the wave, his parts were available in two color schemes; of the two cases he was available in, one contained a full-color figure, while the other contained a colorless translucent version.

*'''Fortress''' (2002)

:A standard 3" PVC figurine of Fortress was available in the eighth and final ''SCF'' wave line. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. Additionally, in eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Fortress came packaged with head and torso of the wave's collectible [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] figure.

*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2003)

: The Fortress Maximus PVC was later revisited by [[Hasbro]] for their domestic release of the ''Super Collection Figure'' series, ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]''. Like all the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures, this version of Fortress Maximus was cast entirely in clear-blue plastic and then painted over, save a small spot on his head to give him a "light-pipe" glowing-eyes effect. He remained available only as a collectible pack-in, one part in each of the six releases in the line's fourth wave. His head and sword came with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], his torso with [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], his left arm with [[Powermaster]] [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]], his right arm with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], his left leg with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Autobot Jazz]] and his right leg with the Autobot Espionage Team ([[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]).

==Notes==
* "Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.

* Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)

* Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.

[[Image:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|250px]]

*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''The Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''The Headmasters'' issue #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' issue #51]]. Its origin is unknown.

* The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].

* When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.

* Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[Knockoff|bootleg]] versions in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a bootleg.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus Fortress Maximus's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Starships]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2010-08-07T13:42:22Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Fortress Maximus}}
:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[City-bot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:FortMax1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]
Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]].

In the [[Japanese continuity family]] his head is formed by another robot named Fortress who is like Cerebros but with a Fortress Maximus looking head. His mortal enemy is [[Scorponok (G1)|Mega Zarak]] His Brother is [[Gand Maximus]] a scaled down version of him with more red.

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose English comic, English cartoon and Japanese cartoon incarnations were very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Cerebros''', '''Fortress''' (see below)
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Forteresse Maximus'''
:''[[Omni Productions]] dub name:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (starship mode only)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Ford''' / '''Fort''' (福特 ''Fú Tè'')
:''Chinese name (Taiwan version of RTM dub):'' '''Furmon''' (福蒙 ''Fú Méng'') / '''Fortry''' (福催 ''Fú Tsūei'')

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Ringofhate-evilstain.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He is mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore!]]
Fortress Maximus was an architect in his early career, designing and even constructing many works on Cybertron. When the war came, he reluctantly turned his talents to fighting. {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe profile}}

During the long absence of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and their respective troops from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], unit commander Fortress Maximus established a headquarters in the [[Manganese Mountains]] and continued the fight against Scorponok's Decepticon contingent.

One fine day on Cybertron, Fort Max's troops staged an ambush on Scorponok's Decepticons, who had just leveled an Autobot city and were marching their prisoners toward the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. Maximus's troops cut a swath through the Decepticon ranks, quickly driving them into retreat.

{{bigquote|Whether I am a hero or a coward is ''not'' the issue! I am ''weary!'' My joints creak from the corrosion of ''war without end!'' I... cannot break this ring of hate that surrounds us all -- but I can remove myself from it. No matter what you decide... I am leaving.|Fortress Maximus announces his decision to quit the war|"[[Ring of Hate!]]"}}

[[Image:Ringofhate-pangalactic.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"...And that, prospective investors, is why GoogleSaturn will make a million dollars per month."]]
Though his troops were jubilant at their victory, the battle was the last straw for Fortress Maximus. He had become so sick of the war that he decided to leave it. He didn't care if it made him a coward or not, he simply believed that the war would go on regardless of whether or not he was in it. Maximus declared that no matter what the others decided, he was leaving for the planet of [[Nebulos]], a world he had long studied and which seemed to be at peace. His stunned troops agreed, and together constructed a starship dubbed the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' to propel them across the void.

Fortress Maximus immediately sent [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] as an messenger to the Nebulan natives; however, an accident made it appear that the giant robots from outer space came with hostile intent. Some of the more reactionary elements among the Nebulan leadership conspired to make Fort Max's envoy [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] also appear to have hostile intent, and thus were able to incite their fellow Nebulans to arms.

[[Image:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Dibs on the off-color jokes!]]
Fortress Maximus and his troops thus found themselves under a full attack from the Nebulans. Max ordered his troops to not fight back, despite complaints from the likes of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and covered them as they retreated into the woods.

Faced with a newly hostile enemy, Fortress Maximus resolved to wage peace, not war. Gathering ten of his followers, he marched up to the Nebulan capital of [[Koraja]], begged to be heard out, and had his group discard their weapons. When that didn't work, he did the next logical thing and pulled his head off. Four other Autobots also resorted to this grotesque stunt before [[Galen]], head of the Nebulan [[World Watchers]], was convinced they weren't a threat. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[Image:Brokenglass-autobotstorage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My honey my baby, don't put my head upon no shelf.]]
The five Autobots' heads were stored in a warehouse, and Galen occasionally consulted with Fortress Maximus, keeping him up to date on outside events as anti-robot protests rocked the capital city.

Soon after, a horde of the Autobots' Decepticon foes appeared before the city gates. Max advised Galen that turning the Autobots over to Scorponok would not prevent him from attacking, and under the Autobot-Nebulan peace agreement, Galen could not simply restore the five Autobots to their bodies. But together with [[Arcana]], the pair came up with another plan. Five volunteer Nebulans were bio-engineered to combine with special armor, and transform into likenesses of the Autobots heads, connecting with and controlling them through the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]]. Galen himself became Fortress Maximus's new partner. Fortress Maximus led his newly-enhanced troops against Scorponok, and soundly defeated his numerically superior squad. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

[[Image:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I'm just a-runnin' down the road, trying to loosen my load, got a world of troubles on my mind.]]
Fortress Maximus remained inert while Galen performed his various duties. He came back online to lead the Headmasters to the [[Grax Communications Facility]], where a number of Nebulan leaders were apparently being held hostage by the Decepticons. It turned out to be a trap, however, as the Decepticons had also become Headmasters, with Galen's rival Zarak now bonded to Scorponok himself. Using several Nebulans as a distraction, Scorponok's troops overpowered Fort Max and the others, taking them hostage. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Max remained out of commission until Zarak, briefly overcoming Scorponok's influence on his mind, freed Galen and the other Autobot-allied Nebulans. Fort Max and company smashed their way out of the holding facility, then ran straight into the newly-formed Decepticon Targetmasters. Max briefly led his troops against the Decepticons, but opted to retreat rather than fight it out. To spare Koraja the carnage of a full-scale fight to the finish, he covered their retreat with the time-honored technique of smashing his enemies with Koraja's metal sculpture of the planet Nebulos. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

''Scorponok and Zarak challenged Fortress Maximus and Galen (here called "Kord") to a duel to settle their differences. Kord/Maximus won by cheating, but it didn't matter because the duel was a ruse to distract the Autobots while [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] stole Autobot fuel converters. The Deceptions had bugged the Autobot base and learned of Earth. They needed the converters to travel there. The Decepticons left for Earth and the Autobots followed.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the [[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]] mini-series.}}

Returning to the Autobot camp, Max/Galen decided to lead the troops away from Nebulos, knowing that Scorponok would follow. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He does seem to have trouble staying in one piece, doesn't he?]]
During their voyage to Earth, Fortress Maximus underwent a radical reconstruction to alter his size considerably, increasing himself from a slightly tall dude to a ''very'' tall dude, about twice the height of the average Transformer. Of course, with his larger scale, Fortress Maximus needed a new head (Galen still being stuck at roughly human size). For this reason, another Autobot, [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], was added to serve as a secondary stage between Galen and Maximus. As the head of Cerebros, Galen could transform Cerebros into the larger head of Fortress Maximus.

Arriving on Earth, Fortress Maximus led his fellow Headmasters to [[Mount St. Hilary]], source of the Autobot distress call that had drawn them to Earth. After recovering the damaged [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], the group encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], who had come in search of his missing younger brother [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. Spike asked for the Autobots' help in finding his brother, but Fortress Maximus was more interested in their primary mission of locating the Autobots of Earth, and he led his troops off to follow the fuel trail of the missing [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-trialbyfire-rollout.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The usage of "roll out" gets stranger and stranger.]]
Scorponok's crew soon followed Maximus to Earth, however, and to the same cave. When Spike replayed Goldbug's distress message, Fortress Maximus and company returned to the cave, apologizing to Spike for his failure to consider the danger he had brought to Earth's natives by leading the Decepticons there.

In the ensuing battle, Spike retreated further into the volcano's caves to seek shelter. Scorponok followed, seeking a hostage, and Fortress Maximus pursued him. As the caves narrowed down, Maximus was forced to send Cerebros onward, and eventually Galen himself had to leave Cerebros to cross a fragile rock bridge. Scorponok used the distraction to blast rocks down on Galen, killing him. As the Decepticon leader left, laughing, Galen passed on his control helmet to Spike, allowing the Earthling to assume control of Fortress Maximus and drive the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Spike soon underwent the full binary bonding process and became the leader of the ''Steelhaven'''s crew of Autobots. With his new partner, Fortress Maximus led the Autobot [[Targetmaster]]s in an effort to locate Buster, first visiting his father at a shady motel, then heading to a spot in the tropics where the Decepticons had set up an island base.

[[Image:Clubconpalmtreespear.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The purpose of Club Con is to flip out and spear people.]]
With Kup worried about the inexperience of Fortress Maximus's new partner, Max held back while the Targetmasters landed on the island. They were driven back by automated defenses, however, and the island revealed itself to be a rocket ship, launching into the atmosphere with Buster still aboard. Maximus resolved to take matters into his own hands, and took off after the rocket (who knew he could fly?) Unfortunately, once in space, the ship's defenses made shishkabob out of him, forcing Spike to resort to using Cerebros instead. Cerebros was likewise trashed by an attack from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], though Spike was able to use Maximus's guns to send Shockwave falling to his apparent demise. Maximus and his partners were subsequently rescued by the Targetmasters, and for his gusto, Spike was welcomed as the group's new leader. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}}

As Fortress Maximus underwent repairs, his crew caught wind of a [[floppy disk]] in possession of one [[Ethan Zachary]], which contained the memories and personality of Optimus Prime. With the aid of a computer-generated version of Prime, Fortress Maximus gathered a lot of data from Scorponok's [[Pretender]] experiments and gave that ability to some of his own crew. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}}

With the disk in their possession, Fortress Maximus oversaw efforts to build a new body for Optimus Prime's mind. However, the ''Steelhaven'''s resources were depleted after creating the Pretenders, causing the effort to fail explosively. Thus when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] located the Ark nearby, Fortress Maximus was eager to contact its Autobots and forge an alliance.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-totalled-worthlesshuman.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It begs the question of why Grimlock didn't just step on him.]]
Unfortunately, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] developed an immediate dislike for Fortress Maximus, partially because he was a possible threat to Grimlock's leadership, partially because he was part human, and partially because he had a fugitive (Goldbug). He challenged "Fruitloop Multipuck" to a duel for leadership on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Faced with the prospect of a divided Autobot force, Fortress Maximus agreed, though his unhealed injuries made victory an unlikely prospect. Luckily for Max, the imprisoned [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] agreed to fill in for him.

[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] led a Decepticon assault on the Autobots during the duel. While fighting off the attackers, Fortress Maximus ordered Goldbug, [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]], [[Getaway]], and [[Slapdash]] to take the disk to Nebulos to restore Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

With Optimus Prime restored, Maximus accepted a subordinate role in the Autobot ranks. ''He was among those Autobots present as Optimus Prime briefed the troops about the threat of the time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. When Optimus and five other Autobots spontaneously and explosively vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by six Transformers claiming to be Autobots from the future, Fortress Maximus immediately assumed command, freaked out, and ordered his troops to destroy the "imposters". (Apparently, his memory was a little rusty, since said "imposters" included his own present-day troops Kup and Blurr.) Maximus sparred with Rodimus Prime until the words of Goldbug, as well as a Matrix-linked Optimus Prime, convinced him that Rodimus was telling the truth when he claimed to be a future Autobot leader. Maximus participated in the subsequent battle against Megatron and Galvatron; he attacked Megatron alongside Grimlock and Swoop, but was quickly put down by the battle-crazed Decepticon.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

[[Image:Fortmaxboat.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Contrary to what's advertised here, the toy will sink if you put it in the bathtub.]]
Fortress Maximus provided a floating search platform for Optimus and Blaster as they searched the ocean for the Decepticons' [[Club Con]] base. Spike expressed frustration that they still had not located his brother, though Optimus vowed to keep searching. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

Fort Max was among the many Autobots who responded to an Autobot emergency signal in the Arctic... which turned out to be sent by none other than Buster Witwicky, who was dying of hypothermia. Maximus took his human sibling into a special thermal compartment, restoring his body temperature to normal.

When the Decepticons attacked soon after, Maximus came under attack from the [[Horrorcon]]s, followed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who clung to him tenaciously and eventually caused Buster to spill out of the warming compartment. This turned out to be a lucky break, as Buster reminded Ratbat that the battle was nothing but a ruse engineered by Starscream. Ratbat and Maximus together called for all the combatants to lay down their arms.

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Cast in the name of God, Ye not guilty]]
After Starscream seized the power of the [[Underbase]], Fortress Maximus and Soundwave led a team to [[Buenos Aires]] to try and stop him. As their troops fell en masse, Maximus attacked Starscream, only to receive a debilitating energy blast in return. His organic component, however, allowed him to survive the first attack. Omega Supreme intervened just then, preventing Maximus from being crushed by a monument hurled by Starscream. Starscream disposed of Omega, and was on the verge of finishing off Maximus, when he was lured away by a radio signal from Buster aboard the Ark. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|So why couldn't he have just kept Cerebros attached to him and gone on with his life?]]
With Buster rescued and the threat of Starscream removed, Spike and Fortress Maximus's tumultuous relationship came to light. Feeling his work with the Autobots was done, Spike tried to go his own way and resume his life, going so far as to pitch his control helmet into a junkyard, but his binary bond could not be left behind so easily. Strange nightmares plagued him, visions of falling into a void. Nor would the Decepticons relent; while on a skiing expedition, he found himself hunted by Carnivac and Snarler. Turning inwards, he found his link to Fortress Maximus remained even without the control helmet and that he could summon the giant warrior from afar. Max left his storage space aboard the Ark and descended to Earth. Despite Carnivac's dirty fighting, Fort Max easily disposed of the two attackers and their Pretender shells, once he and Spike physically recombined. With the battle over, Spike sent Fortress Maximus back to the Ark. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}}

Despite Spike's reconciliation, Fortress Maximus was subsequently out of action for many months or even years. He was still stored aboard the Ark just before the great battle with Unicron, when Grimlock and his Dinobots had returned from [[Hydrus Four]]. They had come looking for the rest of the Autobots, but the Ark's scanners were only picking up one Transformer. Weirder still, this Transformer was in ''two'' parts! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

{{note|It's kind of odd that [[Primus]] didn't warp Fortress Maximus with every other Transformer on Earth, but it's implied that it's because half of him was on the Ark. Odder still is that the Dinobots didn't notice or mention that half of this Transformer was on the Ark with them.}}

[[Image:Fortressmaximus-thelastautobot1.jpg|right|125px|thumb|]]
After Unicron was defeated, the Ark plummeted to Earth and crashed in the northern tundra of Canada. When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from the wreckage to wreak havoc, it fell to Fortress Maximus to stop him. He called to Spike, who came. He and Spike went through some mental wrangling before Max convinced Spike to reunite with him once more. Anxious and desperate after so long out of the war, Maximus immediately suppressed his hesitating partner and took full control upon regaining his head. This proved not to be such a wise idea. Fortress Maximus alone wasn't quite ready to deal with the totally insane Galvatron, who started smashing and biting(!) him to pieces. Realizing the power of their combined strength, Spike and Fortress Maximus managed to unite in thought and deed, and defeated the crazed Decepticon. Fortress Maximus stood alone at the battle's end, the last Autobot, guardian of Earth. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Fortressmaximus-allornothing2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Let me demonstrate just how much you don't have a [[To sell toys|toy on the shelves]] anymore.]]
It was ultimately [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] who would prove to be the undoing of this giant warrior. The reborn and reconditioned Decepticon leader stole the Ark from its crash site in Canada, and used it as his personal flagship. {{storylink|Realignments}} While establishing control over the ship, Megatron found and disabled Fort Max's dormant form. Spike sneaked aboard the ship and rejoined with Maximus, but the damage inflicted by Megatron meant they had virtually no chance to win.

Brutally beaten in combat with an upgraded and super-charged Megatron, the pair dragged themselves to the heart of the ship and threw themselves into the anti-matter containment unit at the core of its power supply, killing them both and causing the Ark to explode. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}

Though it kept the Ark out of Megatron's hands, and nearly derailed his plans entirely, their effort was ultimately not successful: Megatron escaped aboard a shuttle and lived to fight again, and even had time to take the convalescent Starscream with him. {{storylink|New Dawn}} {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Yasui Kunihiko]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]

When a battle for possession of the [[key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[Image:Rebirth3_fortmax_battlestation.jpg|left|250px|thumb]]

The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to robot mode, Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradciated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese animated continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless Transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' Transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====

[[Image:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]]

[[Image:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[Image:Hm1_battleship_maximus.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[Transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these Transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' Transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own Transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

[[Image:Hm2_kup_and_fortress.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[Image:Hm5_fortmax_headmode.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[Image:Hm6_fortmax_funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorpho|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[Image:Hm10_fortress_appointed_commander.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]

Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Solar 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a lifeform from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic Transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Hm17_maximus_vs_scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[Image:Hm23_fortmax_sword_slash.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Susei]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Susei's queen. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Susei!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and Darhos, where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop a gang of prisoners from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[Image:Hm25_fortress_cradles_magnus.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[Image:Hm26_weak_spot.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[Image:Hm28_fortress_examines_targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]

With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster]]s" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[Image:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[Image:Hm31_fortmax_defeated.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly-forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[Image:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmag metal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[Image:Hm35_final_battle.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmag dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's Transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[Image:KPBraveMax.jpg|right|thumb|115px]]
{{note|Fortress's cameo appearance in ''Kiss Players'' is set shortly after his arrival on Master.}}

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented Transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}}/{{storylink|15 Go! Go!|15 Go! Go! Sparkbot Chapter 3}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====

{{note|The events of the Headmasters manga take place concurrently with the Headmasters cartoon.}}

[[Image:Manga fort max.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}
====TV Magazine ''Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new Transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/730/37/ Master File #1]</ref>

{{note|Following the end of the ''Headmasters'' franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]], the other is told through the [[Super-God Masterforce (manga)|''Masterforce'' manga]]. Fortress plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|right|thumb]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)

Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Fortress's Autobots, Fortress did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Fortress sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon after, Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}
{{--}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====

[[Image:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]

When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fort Max getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax_manga.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{--}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with Ultra Magnus. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, though, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{Storylink|The War Within issue 4}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|300px|thumb|You wanna argue with him?]]
A somewhat less pacifistic Fortress Maximus (Seriously, he repeatedly threatened to kill his prisoners or otherwise "strip them down to their spark cores") was the warden in charge of [[Garrus-9]], an Autobot-run penitentiary where both Autobot and Decepticon prisoners were kept in containment. As the ultimate imprisonment, most inmates were reduced down to their [[spark]] and [[laser core]] alone, held inanimate in a storage center known as "The Rig" until such a time as Fort Max deemed to rebuild and release them, if ever. Astoundingly, this method was deemed too "merciful" for at least one [[Impactor|prisoner]].

Fortress Maximus was one of many Autobots across the galaxy who watched a news report heralding the miraculous return of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] encountered the [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] [[Combiner|combiners]] on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s asteroid bunker, he sent them to Garrus-9 with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], hoping the science team could help the six recover from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experimentations. Fortress Maximus was dubious of the possible results, but allowed Jetfire and his team to run their tests at Garrus-9. Things changed for the worse, however, once word of the gestalt technology got out, and agents of the [[Decepticon Secret Service]] came to claim the remarkable new tech for themselves. Faced with an incredible amount of orbital bombardment and ground warfare, Fortress Maximus and his defensive crew were at serious risk of being overrun.

In order to maintain control of his base, Max reactivated the only Autobot inmate classified as Threat Level-9: [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Knowing Arcee had strong feelings about Jhiaxus and his work from personal experience, Fortress Maximus felt confident she would do anything to prevent the Decepticons from laying claim to the "[[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]." In case he was wrong, though, Fort Max made it clear to Arcee she was lowjacked with synchronized G-forces that would crush her spark if she stepped out of line. Despite Arcee's help, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] still managed to make off with the gestalt robots. Against his better judgment, Fortress Maximus allowed Jetfire to convince him that Arcee was the best available to track and intercept the Secret Service ships and retrieve or destroy the gestalt robots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

When Optimus Prime and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] met with Fortress Maximus and Jetfire on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout, also mentioned was that a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Maximus and Jetfire exchanged guilty glances. Prime left Maximus in charge and returned with Prowl and Jetfire to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

With the death of [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] was forced to enter the living universe and confront Optimus Prime at Garrus-9. Fortress Maximus and the other Autobots were hunkered down in The Last Resort, the best-defended, highest-security section of the penitentiary, and he believed that not even a [[Cortynivian Shadow Worm]] could get in. He was wrong, as Nemesis effortlessly forced his way in, killed [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] and [[Drench (G2)|Drench]] and shrugged off all Autobot weapons fire. Maximus called in reinforcements until Optimus convinced him that conventional tactics would not work with the undead Prime and went to deal with Nemesis Prime himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

During Megatron's massive push against the Autobots, an annoyed Maximus led the defense of the prison against the [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] forces. However, when the sociopathic [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] took control of the Decepticon forces, the prison was overrun and Fortress Maximus beaten down by the monster. And then, to keep the liberated prisoners on his side, Overlord tossed them their former warden to have some fun... so long as they kept him alive. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers3-Fort Max the cabbage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
The inmates apparently followed Overlord's instructions, as one half of the [[Wrecker]]s eventually came across Maximus's barely-alive body. Rendered comatose and with his optics and limbs pulled off, he had been plugged into the lock of the door to [[Aequitas]]'s chamber, and put to use entering in code after code in a Decepticon attempt to break in. [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] removed Maximus's connection to the lock, then [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Pyro]] pulled his body from the door to carry him. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|Last Stand of the Wreckers #3}}

When the Decepticons broke into the Aequitas chamber, [[Ironfist]] carried Fortress Maximus to safety. Eventually, the Wreckers succeeded in defeating Overlord and saving Garrus-9, and Maximus was placed on life support alongside [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

{{note|Though thickly built, Fortress Maximus is a normal-sized Transformer in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], about the same size as Jetfire.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1FortressMaximus toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If I hear somebody ask "how's the weather up there" one more time, Primus help them...]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster Base, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, [[Cog (G1)|Gasket]], [[Cog (G1)|Grommet]], Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Cannon, Cerebros's Mini Laser Rifle, [[Cog (G1)|Cog]]'s Laser rifle, Radar Scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros's sword (Japanese release only)

: Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy ever produced. In robot mode it stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than its in-fiction rival Scorponok. The original retail price was over $100USD. Taking into account ongoing trends in toy pricing and retail shelf space jockeying, it is highly doubtful any other Transformers even close to this size will ever be made again.

: The toy has multiple alt mode configurations, transforming into a relatively compact "city" mode, and also a secondary mode described in the US instruction as a "battle station." That mode was rebranded as a starship for the Japanese instructions, and is the "default" mode for Fortress Maximus in the ''Headmasters'' animated series. Additionally, the 1987 Hasbro toy catalog features a mis-transformed Fortress Maximus in a mode referred to as an "impenetrable fortress," essentially consisting of his city mode with the legs splayed outwards.

: In all modes, Maximus has a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks. Its left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. Its right leg has a small storage compartment. Its torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]' "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to its central ramp to be launched in its altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm had a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Its robot-mode head is formed by Cerebros, who does not actually need Spike to attach to the upper body. It came with both Headmaster units, plus the Gasket and Grommet mini-vehicles.

: The Japanese release of Fortress Maximus came with a pair of [[Master Sword]]s; one for Fortress, a ''large'' one for Maximus. It is currently unknown if the swords were originally planned for the [[Hasbro]] version but dropped for price or [[For safety reasons|safety concerns]], or if they were a [[Takara]]-initiated addition to their release of the toy.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Grand Maximus]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Cybertron Base]]".
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm More information on Fortress Maximus at TFU.info]

{{-}}

===Transform Jr===
[[Image:G1 FortressMaximus Jnr toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We represent the Lollybot guild]]
* '''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Fortress Headmaster unit, Photon Rifle

: ''[[Transform Jr]]'' Fortress Maximus is a smaller rendering of the character, scaled down to regular Transformer size, and with only one head. Fortress Maximus could only transform from his starship mode to his robot mode, as his legs lack the joints to fold into city mode. Much of his detail and accessories have been simplified into stickers, such as his shin cannons. He comes with only one weapon, his large blue photon rifle.

:This toy was also available in a leaders three-pack with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Convoy]]

::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/fortmaxjr.php More information of Transform Jr Fortress Maximus at Cliffbee.com]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[Image:Tfgum_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' Head, Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Blaster
:Released in the seventh wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of snap-together "[[candy toy]]" model kits, this version of Fortress stands at about four inches tall and is cast in grey, white and blue plastic. Unlike the Headmaster figures from the previous ''Transformers Gum'' wave, this version of Fortress Maximus does away with his Headmaster gimmick, and by sheer necessity of size, also lacks the guns in his forearms and fists and the prison cell in his left leg. He does include both of his hand-held weapons and swing-out waist cannons, however, and he can still transform into both starship and city modes. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-27.html More information on Transformer Gum Fortress Maximus at a Japanese fansite]''
{{--}}

===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Pdtype_fortmax.jpg|right|thumb|]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (1990)
**''Accessories:'' Master Sword

:A small, blue and white non-transforming [[super deformed]] model kit of Fortress Maximus was available as part of Kabaya's "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of candy toys. The twelfth figure in the series, he came with a "Transformers PD Type" comic about himself, "Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!", and more of that alleged "gum".
{{--}}
===Super Collection Figure/Heroes of Cybertron===
[[Image:Fortmax_scf_hoc.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2001)

:Fortress Maximus was the collectible "Build-A-Figure" from the third ''Headmasters''-centric wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s line of ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the other six figurines in the line: His head and sword came with [[Raiden]], his torso with [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], his left arm with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], his right arm with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]], his left leg with [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]] and his right leg with [[Sixshot]].

:As the first collectible figure from the line, Fortress Maximus was much rarer than those that would come later, with his parts only coming in two out of every ten cases. Like all the other figures in the wave, his parts were available in two color schemes; of the two cases he was available in, one contained a full-color figure, while the other contained a colorless translucent version.

*'''Fortress''' (2002)

:A standard 3" PVC figurine of Fortress was available in the eighth and final ''SCF'' wave line. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. Additionally, in eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Fortress came packaged with head and torso of the wave's collectible [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] figure.

*'''Fortress Maximus''' (2003)

: The Fortress Maximus PVC was later revisited by [[Hasbro]] for their domestic release of the ''Super Collection Figure'' series, ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]''. Like all the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures, this version of Fortress Maximus was cast entirely in clear-blue plastic and then painted over, save a small spot on his head to give him a "light-pipe" glowing-eyes effect. He remained available only as a collectible pack-in, one part in each of the six releases in the line's fourth wave. His head and sword came with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], his torso with [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], his left arm with [[Powermaster]] [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]], his right arm with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], his left leg with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Autobot Jazz]] and his right leg with the Autobot Espionage Team ([[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]).

==Notes==
* "Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.

* Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)

* Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.

[[Image:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|250px]]

*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''The Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''The Headmasters'' issue #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' issue #51]]. Its origin is unknown.

* The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].

* When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.

* Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[Knockoff|bootleg]] versions in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a bootleg.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus Fortress Maximus's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Starships]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]

Mortal Combat

2010-08-07T12:22:14Z

125.237.143.160: /* Featured characters */

{{picsneeded}}

{{episode|
|series=Armada
|series2=Micron Legend
|ep=52
|prev=Origin
|next=Cybertron City (episode)
|title=Mortal Combat
|japanese=死闘 - mortal-combat
|romaji=shitō
|translation=to the death
|image=Armada 52 - Prime hangon to Galvatron.jpg
|caption=Test your might!
|production code=TF: A-52
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Ryō Motohira]]
|director=[[Hidehito Ueda]], [[Mitsuru Kawasaki]] (asst. dir.)
|animation studio=[[Actas]]
|airdate=[[October 3]], 2003 (UK) [[December 12]], 2003 (US) [[December 26|26 December]] 2003 (Japan)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''Optimus and Galvatron wage their final brutal battle, while the rest of the Transformers deal with Unicron.'''

==Summary==
Unicron is no longer functional, his body lying dormant in space. Hot Shot lets the assembled armies return to Cybertron to begin the rebuilding.

Inside of Unicron, Galvatron holds onto the idea that he can still become the sole ruler of the universe. Now that Unicron is gone, it's left to Optimus and Galvatron to finish the war. Optimus and the kids try to argue that now that the two militaries have been united, there's no need to continue the fight, but Galvatron reminds his foe that the hatred left over from an unfinished war would repower Unicron.

On Cybertron, Side Swipe alerts the other that Unicron is in motion again. Hot Shot decides to go to Unicron to retrieve Optimus, but Jetfire takes Hot Shot's place. Cyclonus follows Jetfire.

Optimus says goodbye to the children; the kids don't want to go, but he convinces them that the final battle must be fought. After throwing away the Matrix (so it isn't damaged in battle), Prime starts the fight with some gunfire and a knee to Galvatron's face. When Galvatron gets up, he and Prime blast their firepower at each other.

Outside of Unicron, Jetfire and Cyclonus pick up the kids and bring them back to Cybertron. The kids report on what the two leaders are doing, and it seems Unicron isn't quite dead either. Under heavy pressure, Hot Shot orders the attack against Unicron to be resumed, with special care taken not to harm the leaders.

Inside, Prime and Galvatron continue to rumble. Prime throws one of his wheels directly into Galvatron's primary cannon. The resulting explosion blasts Galvatron through a wall, but the Decepticon is only amused by the ferocity of the combat. Unicron's words echo in Prime's mind. Galvatron uses his extending antlers to toss Prime around. Prime breaks off the blades and uses them against his rival, but Galvatron scores a critical hit through Optimus with his hidden wrist blade.

The Transformers buzz around Unicron, blasting him through his own trenches. Alexis notices that during the combat, a large, growing black hole has appeared on Unicron's surface.

Prime stands up, refusing to give up the fight. Decompression sends the warriors outside of Unicron, onto his external surface. Galvatron acquires a nearby pipe to use as a battle staff, but Optimus displays amazing agility and stands on the staff, prancing along it to kick Galvatron in the face. While Galvatron is still stunned, Optimus hefts his foe and cramps Galvatron's midsection, but in the process, the metal pipe is shoved down Prime's back.

The two warriors break for a moment, and Galvatron admits that even though he lost the battle, he enjoyed the thrill of it. The moment of peace between the two is disturbed by Unicron transforming into his planet mode. Prime is stuck holding onto Galvatron as the two are sucked toward Unicron's maw. Galvatron, determined to see only one winner of the war (even if it isn't him) instructs Prime to let him fall. Prime refuses, so Galvatron cuts himself loose and free-falls into oblivion. As soon as Galvatron is absorbed, Unicron vanishes. Left floating in space, Optimus decides he's unworthy of the Matrix.

Sometime later, Hot Shot and Jetfire return the kids to Earth. They agree that they've all learned a lot from each other ever since their first encounter. Carlos, Fred, and Billy start to cry. Alexis gazes down at her pendant that contains the Mars stone that Starscream gave her, smiling sadly as if remembering him. With the war over, Prime narrates the closing moments. But hidden behind a distant, green planet, Unicron endures.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] (2)
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] (3)
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] (13)
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (14)
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (15)
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]] (16)
* [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]] (Cameo) (24)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] (5)
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (17)
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (18)
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] (19)
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (23)

|c3=
* [[Rad White|Rad]] (7)
* [[Alexis]] (8)
* [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] (9)
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (10)
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (11)

|h4=[[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]]|c4=
*[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] (12)
*[[Race Mini-Con Team]] (20)
*[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] (21)
*[[Space Mini-Con Team]] (22)

|h5=Other|c5=
* [[Unicron]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
"This probably isn't the time to ask, but when are we gonna eat, you guys?" 
"Zip it, Fred, or I'll give you my fist to chew on!" 
:—'''Fred''' and '''Billy'''

"Your mindless ambitions are fueled only by your greed. You'll stop at nothing to get what you want. I should have let Unicron destroy you!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' to Galvatron

"Why can't we all just get along?!"
:—'''Fred'''

"Children, the future is yours!" 
"Good riddance, humans!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Galvatron''' bid farewell to the kids in their own unique ways.

"Don't be surprised, Galvatron. This is exactly what you wanted. And I fight you not as the leader of the Autobots, but as the leader of ''all'' Transformers!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tosses aside his Matrix of Leadership before attacking Galvatron.

"Farewell, Optimus Prime. Victory is all yours. Now go look after your men, they need you!"
:—'''Galvatron's''' last words until [[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Micron Legend''===
* After tossing out the Matrix before his final battle against Super Megatron, Convoy says "I am not fighting you as a Commander but as a Transformer called Convoy!" In the American version, Optimus says that he was fighting Galvatron as the leader of ALL Transformers! Ego much?

* Near the end where Optimus is refusing to let go of Galvatron from being sucked into Unicron, there's a change of translation. Galvatron practically yells at Optimus to let go so that Unicron will die from the lack of evil and to watch over the Autobots after slicing his own tread in ''Armada''. In ''Micron Legend'', Galvatron observes that despite their differences in appearances, both might have been looking for the same thing, and that Optimus is the light while he's darkness. On slicing his own tread, he adds that even in the next generation (or world), Prime is destined to be his rival, plus that so long as there's light there will be darkness, and to not forget that evil is eternal. Where Optimus yells his rival's name after disappearing into Unicron in ''Armada'', he whispers "Megatron" in ''Micron Legend''.

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
*When Hot Shot yells "Attack!" as Unicron is transforming back into planet mode, the animation actually shows the Transformer fleet ''escaping'' (which would make sense), which suggests Hot Shot's line was a scripting error.

===Continuity errors===
===Transformers references===
[[Image:ArmadaRhinoxTV.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"We never had any evil gods on prehistoric Earth."]]
* During the raid against Unicron, [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]] is visible in the hangar. Because of the unanticipated success of ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', he and the other ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' remolds were released, but they were unable to receive larger roles in [[Armada (cartoon)|the show]].
{{-}}

===Miscellaneous trivia===
[[Image:Tf ml 01 52 comparison title card.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Time for kanji quiz, kids!]]
*This is the third Armada episode to have a title with more than one word.
*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] is a ''flying'' skateboard.
*Also, the Race Team and Space Team Mini-Cons are seen flying on their own accord combined as the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster.
*Does it seem like over the course of the Unicron Battles, Alexis's hair has actually grown slightly longer?
*Galvatron hasn't used his antlers to attack anyone since "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]".
*This is the second time in ''Armada'' that Megatron has used his wrist blade.
[[Image:Armada 52 - Prime and no Matrix.jpg|left|175px|thumb|How many Autobot [[insignia]]s does he have...?]]
*During the second-to-last shot, Prime has returned to his original colors, but hasn't reclaimed the Matrix, as his Matrix compartment is visibly empty during his transformation.
*Unlike the previous 51 episodes, the title card in the Japanese airing of this episode didn't have the usual [[Wikipedia:furigana|furigana]] over the [[Wikipedia:kanji|kanji]] title, as seen on the right.
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 13 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2006 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two ([[Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Collector's Edition ([[Universal]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio.

[[Category:Armada episodes]]

Cityformer

2010-08-07T12:08:01Z

125.237.143.160:

{{noname|nickname}}

[[Image:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Objects in mirror may be smaller than they appear]]
City-bots are Transformers that have alternate modes that are intended to be a city. In actual fictional appearances, however, city-bots [[Scale|very rarely approach actual city size]]. They are typically closer to the size of a large building. In the comic, some characters are simply depicted as a bit larger than the average Transformer. The six city-bots are:

*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Grand Maximus]]
*[[BlackZarak]]
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]
*[[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]

==Component Transformers==
City-bots feature smaller Transformers that transform from components of the city-bot itself. Fictional appearances of these Transformers are somewhat rare, when they do appear some have been shown to have individual personalities and others appear to be mindless drones.

{{See|Multi-component Transformer}}

===Metroplex===
*[[Six-Gun]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP">Metroplex's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Metroplex at TFU.info]).</ref>
*[[Slammer]] – Metroplex controlled drone.<ref name="MP"/>
*[[Scamper]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP"/>

===Trypticon===
*[[Full-Tilt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Brunt (G1)|Brunt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Wipe-Out]] – Apparently fully autonomous. May simply be a Transformer under Trypticon's command. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

===Fortress Maximus===
*[[Cog (G1)|Cog]] – Fortress Maximus controlled drone.<ref name="FM">Fortress Maximus's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus at TFU.info]) and tech spec profile.</ref><ref>Cog was depicted as fully autonomous in one instance in a possible art error. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}</ref>
**Gasket – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Grommet to form Cog.
**Grommet – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Gasket to form Cog.
*[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] – Cerebros's Headmaster unit

===Scorponok===
*[[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]] – Semi-autonomous.<ref>Scorponok's character profile.</ref>
*[[Zarak Shield]] - becomes part of Scorponok's base mode
*[[Zarak (Nebulan)|Lord Zarak]] – Headmaster unit

===Grand Maximus===
*[[Cog (Masterforce)|Cog]]
**Onomus – Combines with Koka to form Cog.
**Koka – Combines with Onomus to form Cog.
*Grand – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*Gran – Grand's Headmaster unit

===BlackZarak===
*[[Black Rorichi]]
*Scorponok - Headmaster unit (decoy)

===Overlord===
*[[Giga |Gigatank]] - becomes repair bay and weapons bay
*[[Giga |Gigajet]] - becomes main command center
*Giga - Godmaster unit
*Mega - Godmaster unit

===Metrotitan===
*[[Metroshot]]
*[[Metrobomb]]
*[[Metrodash]]
*[[Metrotank]]
*The five of them are known as the [[Metrosquad]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Gimmicks]]
[[Category:City Transformers| ]]

Cityformer

2010-08-07T11:56:38Z

125.237.143.160: /* Scorponok */

{{noname|nickname}}

[[Image:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Objects in mirror may be smaller than they appear]]
City-bots are Transformers that have alternate modes that are intended to be a city. In actual fictional appearances, however, city-bots [[Scale|very rarely approach actual city size]]. They are typically closer to the size of a large building. In the comic, some characters are simply depicted as a bit larger than the average Transformer. The six city-bots are:

*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Grand Maximus]]
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]
*[[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]

==Component Transformers==
City-bots feature smaller Transformers that transform from components of the city-bot itself. Fictional appearances of these Transformers are somewhat rare, when they do appear some have been shown to have individual personalities and others appear to be mindless drones.

{{See|Multi-component Transformer}}

===Metroplex===
*[[Six-Gun]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP">Metroplex's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Metroplex at TFU.info]).</ref>
*[[Slammer]] – Metroplex controlled drone.<ref name="MP"/>
*[[Scamper]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP"/>

===Trypticon===
*[[Full-Tilt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Brunt (G1)|Brunt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Wipe-Out]] – Apparently fully autonomous. May simply be a Transformer under Trypticon's command. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

===Fortress Maximus===
*[[Cog (G1)|Cog]] – Fortress Maximus controlled drone.<ref name="FM">Fortress Maximus's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus at TFU.info]) and tech spec profile.</ref><ref>Cog was depicted as fully autonomous in one instance in a possible art error. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}</ref>
**Gasket – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Grommet to form Cog.
**Grommet – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Gasket to form Cog.
*[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] – Cerebros's Headmaster unit

===Scorponok===
*[[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]] – Semi-autonomous.<ref>Scorponok's character profile.</ref>
*[[Zarak Shield]] - becomes part of Scorponok's base mode
*[[Zarak (Nebulan)|Lord Zarak]] – Headmaster unit

===Grand Maximus===
*[[Cog (Masterforce)|Cog]]
**Onomus – Combines with Koka to form Cog.
**Koka – Combines with Onomus to form Cog.
*Grand – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*Gran – Grand's Headmaster unit

===Overlord===
*[[Giga |Gigatank]] - becomes repair bay and weapons bay
*[[Giga |Gigajet]] - becomes main command center
*Giga - Godmaster unit
*Mega - Godmaster unit

===Metrotitan===
*[[Metroshot]]
*[[Metrobomb]]
*[[Metrodash]]
*[[Metrotank]]
*The five of them are known as the [[Metrosquad]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Gimmicks]]
[[Category:City Transformers| ]]

Cityformer

2010-08-07T11:49:20Z

125.237.143.160:

{{noname|nickname}}

[[Image:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Objects in mirror may be smaller than they appear]]
City-bots are Transformers that have alternate modes that are intended to be a city. In actual fictional appearances, however, city-bots [[Scale|very rarely approach actual city size]]. They are typically closer to the size of a large building. In the comic, some characters are simply depicted as a bit larger than the average Transformer. The six city-bots are:

*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Grand Maximus]]
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]
*[[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]

==Component Transformers==
City-bots feature smaller Transformers that transform from components of the city-bot itself. Fictional appearances of these Transformers are somewhat rare, when they do appear some have been shown to have individual personalities and others appear to be mindless drones.

{{See|Multi-component Transformer}}

===Metroplex===
*[[Six-Gun]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP">Metroplex's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Metroplex at TFU.info]).</ref>
*[[Slammer]] – Metroplex controlled drone.<ref name="MP"/>
*[[Scamper]] – Semi-autonomous. Mind linked to Metroplex.<ref name="MP"/>

===Trypticon===
*[[Full-Tilt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Brunt (G1)|Brunt]] – Battlefield drone. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}}
*[[Wipe-Out]] – Apparently fully autonomous. May simply be a Transformer under Trypticon's command. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

===Fortress Maximus===
*[[Cog (G1)|Cog]] – Fortress Maximus controlled drone.<ref name="FM">Fortress Maximus's ''Universe'' profile ([http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus at TFU.info]) and tech spec profile.</ref><ref>Cog was depicted as fully autonomous in one instance in a possible art error. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}</ref>
**Gasket – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Grommet to form Cog.
**Grommet – Drone.<ref name="FM"/> Combines with Gasket to form Cog.
*[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] – Cerebros's Headmaster unit

===Scorponok===
*[[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]] – Semi-autonomous.<ref>Scorponok's character profile.</ref>
*[[Zarak (Nebulan)|Lord Zarak]] – Headmaster unit

===Grand Maximus===
*[[Cog (Masterforce)|Cog]]
**Onomus – Combines with Koka to form Cog.
**Koka – Combines with Onomus to form Cog.
*Grand – [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] unit
*Gran – Grand's Headmaster unit

===Overlord===
*[[Giga |Gigatank]] - becomes repair bay and weapons bay
*[[Giga |Gigajet]] - becomes main command center
*Giga - Godmaster unit
*Mega - Godmaster unit

===Metrotitan===
*[[Metroshot]]
*[[Metrobomb]]
*[[Metrodash]]
*[[Metrotank]]
*The five of them are known as the [[Metrosquad]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Gimmicks]]
[[Category:City Transformers| ]]

Megatron (disambiguation)

2010-08-07T11:28:28Z

125.237.143.160:

{{bigquote|I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. I am that which is, which was, and is yet to come...and you will know my name is Megatron when I lay my vengeance upon you!|The [[Covenant of Primus]]|"[[Nemesis Part 2]]"}}

The name '''Megatron''' can refer to several different characters:

*'''1984''' — [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], leader and sometimes founder of the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] from [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]. For toys of this character, see [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron (G1) toys]].

*'''1996''' — [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] criminal and architect of the theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] turned ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''. Later became the leader of the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]] and was split into [[Noble|Savage/Noble]] and the [[Grand Mal]] in ''[[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]]''. For toys of this character, see [[Megatron (BW)/toys|Megatron (BW) toys]]. Yeesss.

*'''1999''' — [[Megatron (myth)|Megatron]], a mythological figure in the [[Covenant of Primus]].

*'''2000''' — [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]], a [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] six-changing galactic conqueror from ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]''.

*'''2003''' — [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], yet another Decepticon commander, this one a pivotal figure in the [[Unicron Trilogy]]. For toys of this character, see [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron (Armada) toys]].

*'''2007''' — [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], the former [[Lord High Protector]] of Cybertron who gets a jonesing for the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] and sparks a [[Transformers (2007)|motion picture]]. For toys of this character, see [[Megatron (Movie)/toys|Megatron (Movie) toys]].

*'''2007''' — [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], (glorious) evil Decepticon leader from ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]''.

*'''2008''' — [[Megatron (TransTech)|Megatron]], the leader of the Decepticons on [[TransTech]] Cybertron.

*'''2008''' — [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]], the heroic leader of the Decepticon resistance in ''[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]''.

*'''2010''' — [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]], the leader of the Decepticons from ''[[Transformers: Prime]]''.

'''Megatron''' is not to be confused with:

*[[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]], a Decepticon commander who temporarily inhabited Megatron's body (or a version of it, it's complicated) from the Generation 1 comics.

*[[Megatron Corps|The Megatron Corps]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s legion of Megatron clones from [[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers|''The Transformers'' manga series]].

*[[Megatron statue (Armada)|The Megatron statue]], a massive stone statue of the Unicron Trilogy character.

*[[Megatron X]], a mysterious silver-colored version of ''Beast Wars'' Megatron.

*[[Megaplex]], a duplicate of Megatron designed to fool his enemies from the Generation 1 continuity.

*[[Mechatron]], a [[Beast Rider]] from ''Beast Machines''.

*[[Megabolt]], Decepticon emissary, whose alternate form mimics the [[Grand Mal|Big Floating Head]] headquarters of ''Beast Wars'' Megatron in the [[Beast Machines (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' cartoon]], from ''Robots in Disguise/Universe''.

*[[Megastorm]], younger brother of [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] from ''[[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]''.

*[[Megastar]], ''Robots in Disguise'' Megatron's starship/base.

*[[Megazarak]], an alternate universe's version of Megatron from ''[[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]''.

*[[Mega-Dinobot]], the combined form of [[Grimlock (Energon)|Grimlock]] and [[Swoop (Energon)|Swoop]] from ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]''.

*[[Mega-Octane]], leader of the Decepticon [[Commando|Commandos]] from ''Robots in Disguise''.

*Megatronus Prime, the original name of [[The Fallen]], one of the [[thirteen original Transformers]].

*[[Mega]] the female Decepticon Godmaster whom combines with her husband Godmaster Giga to become [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]

*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] the giant scorpion who frequently serves as Decepticon leader (whos Japanese name is Mega Zarak)

Many versions of '''Megatron''' eventually upgrade their bodies and change their name to '''[[Galvatron (disambiguation)|Galvatron]]'''.

{{disambig}}

A Battle... and Then...

2010-08-07T11:21:45Z

125.237.143.160: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=Masterforce
|ep=42
|image=Abattleandthen.jpg
|caption=An epic showdown... because every show needs one.
|title="A Battle... and Then..."
|japanese=戦闘.....そして<ref>Although 戦闘 is technically ''sentō'', ''tatakai'' is pronounced, but the meaning is the same—"combat" or "fight".</ref>
|romaji=Tatakai.....Soshite
|production code=
|production company=[[TakaraTomy|Takara]], [[Toei]]
|airdate=[[February 28|28 February]] 1989
|writer=[[Yoshihisa Araki]]
|director=[[Jōhei Matsūra]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''It's BlackZarak versus God Ginrai—the power of Evil against the power of Man, and the winner will decide the fate of Earth!'''

:''Omni Productions dub title:'' "'''The Ultimate Battle'''"
:''Latin-American dub title:'' "'''La Última Batalla'''"

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak struggle in sky.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Have you hugged your scorpion today?]]
At the peak of the Matterhorn, [[Ginrai]] and the fused [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] entity prepare to face off against each other in their final battle. BlackZarak inquires if the [[Autobot]] leader plans to fight him alone, and Ginrai responds with a barrage of laser fire, which BlackZarak shrugs off. The villain transforms to scorpion mode and takes to the air, but Ginrai pursues him and seizes him by the tail. BlackZarak roars that he does not have time to waste on Ginrai, freely divulging his plan—he has placed an amplifier for his Devil Power at the South Pole, which will allow him to eliminate Humanity in the blink of an eye. The furious Ginrai attempts to drag BlackZarak back down to the mountain's peak, and he calls out for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and the [[Darkwings]] brothers to aid him. Help is not forthcoming, but Ginrai still manages to rip off BlackZarak's cannons and tricks the villain into blasting himself with his own tail weapon. Damaged, BlackZarak begins to lose altitude, and Ginrai uses his own jets to steer the [[Decepticon]] into the mountainside. At the last second, however, BlackZarak throws off Ginrai and collapses part of the mountain, burying Ginrai in an avalanche.

Elsewhere on the mountain, the other Autobots and Decepticons are recovering from their injuries. While [[Minerva]] tends to the wounds [[Metalhawk]] received during his battle with [[King Poseidon]] in one location, in another spot, [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] finally recover consciousness after the beating administered to them by BlackZarak. While Buster is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened, Hydra simply writes it off as punishment for weakness and proof that they must fight even harder. The chance for such a fight immediately arrives in the form of the Autobot [[Godmaster|Godmasters]], and even though the two weakened Decepticons practically collapse after only a few shots are exchanged, they continue to draw out the fight.

Some miles away, [[Clouder]] has supplied [[Cancer]], [[Wilder]] and [[Bullhorn]] with a heavily armed buggy so that they can participate in the battle on the Matterhorn. As the quartet head towards the Alps, Wilder chooses to remind everyone that he has definitely not joined the Autobots, but the protest has grown so stale that Cancer laughs it off, much to Wilder's annoyance.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak uppercut.jpg|thumb|right|200px|SHORYUKEN!]]
Back on the Matterhorn, BlackZarak is in mid-gloat when Ginrai comes bursting out of the ice and snow and stomps his opponent into the rock face. BlackZarak transforms back into robot mode and unleashes the "Devil Thunder Ring," encircling Ginrai with Devil Power with the intent of removing his humanity and transforming him into a true robot, just as he did with Hydra and Buster. As Ginrai fights the effect, [[Grand Maximus]] comes flying around the mountain. Having been unable to communicate with Ginrai, Grand and the [[Headmaster Junior|Headmaster Juniors]] have come to help. And help they do—a blast from the Maximus's cannon throws off BlackZarak's focus long enough for Ginrai to escape his Devil Power and take the fight up close. With a mighty swing and a flare of incandescent energy, Ginrai punches BlackZarak's head clean off his shoulders, and the decapitated Decepticon crashes into the mountain. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] cheers for his commander as BlackZarak's severed head lands alongside his body and explodes, but Grand silences him... because something is happening! BlackZarak's twitching, headless body rises up out of its crater, and as the shocked Autobots watch, it begins to transform into a new form!

At the base of the mountain, [[Mega]] and [[Giga]] stand by their [[Transtector|Transtectors]] and debate on what to do next. Realizing that they have been misled by [[Devil Z]], who has placed his hatred of human beings above even their comradeship, they know they can no longer serve him...and they now also owe Ginrai a debt of honor for saving them from Z's wrath. They are not the only Decepticons to reach a decision at this point, either—Hydra and Buster have reached the end of their strength and combine into Darkwings to flee their battle with the Autobot Godmasters.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai vs BlackZarak's heads.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Meanwhile, far above, BlackZarak's new form now stands revealed: a twisted, two-headed serpent, which launches energy blasts at God Ginrai from its mouths and swats him out of the sky with its tail. As the battle rages, Overlord appears overhead, and BlackZarak offers him a chance to redeem himself, but the Ambassador of Destruction opens fire on BlackZarak instead. Infuriated, BlackZarak vows to show Overlord what happens to traitors and envelops him in a beam of Devil Power. Crying in pain, Overlord's last act is to tell Ginrai to ensure that BlackZarak does not live, before Giga and Mega are suddenly ejected from the sphere of Devil Power. Shocked at what they are seeing, Ginrai and Grand Maximus are distracted enough to be blasted out of the sky by BlackZarak, just as the cocoon of Devil Power recedes and the Overlord Transtector emerges...now a truly living super-robot lifeform itself, brought to life by the power of Devil Z! Giga murmurs that he wishes they could have settled their rivalry with Ginrai honourably, and with that, he and Mega die and their [[Master-Brace|Master-Braces]] vanish from their wrists. Burning with righteous anger and [[Chōkon Power]], Ginrai rises, and Shūta, [[Cab]] and Minerva all feel the energy of their commander. In a flash of light, the three children find themselves in God Ginrai's chest cockpit, ready to fight alongside their leader as the defining moment of the battle draws nearer. Overlord lunges for Ginrai, but Grand Maximus transforms to robot mode and tackles him. BlackZarak orders Wilder, Cancer and Bullhorn's now-living [[Transtector|Transtectors]] to attack Ginrai instead, but the Godmasters arrive just in time to handle them, leaving Ginrai to face off against BlackZarak. God Fire Guts and Devil Power collide in a mighty explosion, hurling Ginrai back and leaving Devil Z simply laughing from within BlackZarak's body. He announces to Ginrai that the Autobot's very existence—the existence of all the Godmasters—is as a result of his machinations, and to him, they are nothing more than tools that will never be able to defeat their maker. Ginrai refutes this, declaring that Devil Z has long underestimated the strength of humans and the limitless possibilities that exist within Mankind, and that is why he shall never defeat them. Exploding into flame once more, Ginrai activates the God Fire Guts and dives at BlackZarak, driving hard against a beam of Devil Power. Fighting with all his strength, Ginrai overpowers the beam and crashes into and through BlackZarak, whose body finally explodes into fragments, exposing the glowing orb of Devil Z. As the villain rages impotently, Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors unite every drop of their Chōkon Power for one last, mighty attack: the FINAL FIRE GUTS! Burning with the passion and strength of his fellow humans and Autobots, Ginrai dives like a flaming spear into the heart of Devil Z, who screams and explodes in a coruscating wave of light and darkness.

[[Image:MF42 humans and transtectors.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Well, you're ordinary humans now. Enjoy not being super-powered robots!]]
As the blast dies out, the skies clear and Ginrai fades back into view, and the Decepticons battling below stop and gape, unable to comprehend what has occurred. Overlord is the first to take action...and that action is retreat. With their leader lost, the Decepticons immediately take to the air and head for space. Ginrai comes floating down out of the sky and lands in front his troops, but the surprises are not yet through, as all of the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors suddenly glow with blinding light. When the light fades, seven ordinary human beings are left standing on the snowy ground, and Minerva is the first to realize that their Master-Braces have vanished. It is [[Road King]] who then makes the next discovery: A short distance away, their Transtectors are standing in robot mode! Ginrai's Transtector looks down at the humans assembled before it, and thanks them for all they have done. It is then that Ginrai realizes what has happened—with Devil Z's death, the link that he created between the humans and their Transtectors has been broken. But now, their Transtectors live on, having become true super-robot lifeforms themselves, and it is their duty to pursue the fleeing Decepticons back into space. As goodbyes are said, Cancer and company roll up the mountain in their buggy, all weapons firing, just a little bit too late to do any good. As everyone watches and waves, the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors board Grand Maximus and blast off for space. As the narrator says, Ginrai's long battle with the Decepticons is over at last, but throughout it all, he has been supported by his friends, his fellow humans, and the beauty and peace of planet Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] (13)
* [[Lander]] (14)
* [[Phoenix]] (15)
* [[Metalhawk]] (16)
* [[Grand Maximus]] (23)

'''Human Autobots'''

* [[Minerva]] (10)
* [[Shūta Gō]] (11)
* [[Cab]] (12)
* [[Ginrai]] (17)
* [[Lightfoot]] (18)
* [[Ranger]] (19)
* [[Road King]] (20)

|c2=
* [[Dauros]] (1)
* [[Gilmer]] (2)
* [[Blood]] (3)
* [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] (8)
* [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] (9)
* [[King Poseidon]] (21)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] (22)

'''Human Decepticons'''

* [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (7)
* [[Giga]] (25)
* [[Mega]] (26)

|c3=
* [[Wilder]] (4)
* [[Bullhorn]] (5)
* [[Cancer]] (6)
* [[Clouder]] (24)

}}

==Quotes==
"One frozen scorpion, coming up!"
:—'''God Ginrai'''

{{Note|The following quotes are from the [[Omni Productions]] dub}}

"The battle between the Decepticons who want to destroy the Earth, and the Autobots who vow to uphold justice, has been going for a while."
:—The '''Narrator''' is a bit vague on details.

"Stop playing, I'm accelerating. ZOOM!"
:—'''Clouder'''

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
Among the changes made by the [[Omni Productions]] dub:
*The Matterhorn is described by the narrator as the Decepticons' control center.
*Devil Z calls his amplifier an "exterminator".
*Hawk doesn't bring up summoning the other Pretenders at all, leaving their absence a mystery.
*Clouder describes the Matterhorn as a "hill".
*God Ginrai's line in defiance of BlackZarak's threat to turn him into a robot is gone.
*Overlord's last line as he's being zapped by Devil Z is gone.
*God Ginrai's lecture to Devil Z about not killing his own men is changed to general "I will kill you!" banter.
*The determined growling during the shot of Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors is replaced by Cab's voice actor whimpering loudly.
*Overlord's line right after Devil Z's death becomes "It's finally been destroyed!", which seems more positive than the original script intended.
*"WE BELIEVE TOMORROW" is missing from the soundtrack, with no music to replace it. The last notes of it fade in just before the credits.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In the first shot after the title card, BlackZarak is absolutely ''towering'' over God Ginrai. In the past, he's not been much more than a head taller than him.

===Continuity errors===
*Having not appeared in the previous episode, and having been absent for two-thirds of this one, Cancer, Wilder, and Bullhorn's Transtectors are suddenly among the Decepticon ranks in the third act. The Doubleclouder Transtector is still missing, however, and is not seen among the Decepticons flying into space at the episode's close.
*How in the world does God Ginrai know who Giga and Mega are? He's only known them as Overlord, yet when they are separated from their transtector, God Ginrai calls out their names. Say what?. [[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!? | But 17 episodes ago]] Giga and Mega did introduce them selves as Giga and Mega but they were in the Gigatank and Megajet. unless Ginrai saw them in the tank and jet but that's very unlikely.
*This episode explains that Devil Z was responsible for forging the link between the Godmasters and their Transtectors. This makes sense; the Godmasters' Transtectors were not originally intended to be bonded with humans, so it had to be someone else's doing, and the fact that the death of Devil Z in this episode causes this link to be severed makes it clear that he's not lying about it. However, Shūta, Minerva and Cab are ''also'' separated from their Transtectors, and this ''doesn't'' make sense, because Devil Z had no hand in their combination. Unless it had something to do with being inside God Ginrai when he used the '''Final Fire Guts'''
*Grand Maximus carries the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors into space at the end of this episode, which is inconsistent with how he has been presented in the rest of the series. Whereas his big brother, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], was large enough to transport Transformers around, Grand's battleship has been consistently depicted as being scaled for transporting ''humans'' around (consequently, he only transforms into a robot as tall as God Ginrai, instead of a towering giant like his sibling). But here, he is boarded by Transformers. [[Size changing|Oops]].

===Continuity notes===
*BlackZarak has been decapitated before, back in "[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]".
*Cancer, Wilder and Bullhorn (and Clouder) had their Transtectors brought to life in "[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]".

===Trivia===
*The insert songs "[[Susume! Chōjin Masterforce]]" and "[[We Believe Tomorrow|WE BELIEVE TOMORROW]]" are reprised for this episode, the former in instrumental form.
*BlackZarak's serpent mode, like [[Sixshot]]'s "Wingwolf" mode and Overlord's "space jet" mode before it, was created by the production staff of the animated series by tinkering around with the toy. (Specifically, they beheaded the scorpion mode, turned it belly-forward, and used the claws for twin dragon heads.) In comparison to those other two characters, though, this mode was streamlined to a greater degree for animation (such as completely omitting the scorpion legs), so the actual toy doesn't look nearly as good if transformed to match it.
*Metalhawk (and presumably the other Autobot Pretenders too) remains behind on Earth. Presumably, that's because someone still needs to hunt down the Decepticon Pretenders and the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]], who last appeared (chronologically speaking) in the previous episode, and whose fates are left unrevealed.
*While this episode marks the end of the ''Super-God Masterforce'' story, it is not the end of the series. For the video release of the show, five clip episodes were created, and the final one of these, "[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]", was aired as the forty-third and final episode of the broadcast series.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote|jsubs}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2008 — ''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' ([[Madman Entertainment]]) — Optional [[Omni Productions|Omni]] dub. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle... and Then...}}
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce episodes]]

A Battle... and Then...

2010-08-07T11:21:23Z

125.237.143.160: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=Masterforce
|ep=42
|image=Abattleandthen.jpg
|caption=An epic showdown... because every show needs one.
|title="A Battle... and Then..."
|japanese=戦闘.....そして<ref>Although 戦闘 is technically ''sentō'', ''tatakai'' is pronounced, but the meaning is the same—"combat" or "fight".</ref>
|romaji=Tatakai.....Soshite
|production code=
|production company=[[TakaraTomy|Takara]], [[Toei]]
|airdate=[[February 28|28 February]] 1989
|writer=[[Yoshihisa Araki]]
|director=[[Jōhei Matsūra]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''It's BlackZarak versus God Ginrai—the power of Evil against the power of Man, and the winner will decide the fate of Earth!'''

:''Omni Productions dub title:'' "'''The Ultimate Battle'''"
:''Latin-American dub title:'' "'''La Última Batalla'''"

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak struggle in sky.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Have you hugged your scorpion today?]]
At the peak of the Matterhorn, [[Ginrai]] and the fused [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] entity prepare to face off against each other in their final battle. BlackZarak inquires if the [[Autobot]] leader plans to fight him alone, and Ginrai responds with a barrage of laser fire, which BlackZarak shrugs off. The villain transforms to scorpion mode and takes to the air, but Ginrai pursues him and seizes him by the tail. BlackZarak roars that he does not have time to waste on Ginrai, freely divulging his plan—he has placed an amplifier for his Devil Power at the South Pole, which will allow him to eliminate Humanity in the blink of an eye. The furious Ginrai attempts to drag BlackZarak back down to the mountain's peak, and he calls out for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and the [[Darkwings]] brothers to aid him. Help is not forthcoming, but Ginrai still manages to rip off BlackZarak's cannons and tricks the villain into blasting himself with his own tail weapon. Damaged, BlackZarak begins to lose altitude, and Ginrai uses his own jets to steer the [[Decepticon]] into the mountainside. At the last second, however, BlackZarak throws off Ginrai and collapses part of the mountain, burying Ginrai in an avalanche.

Elsewhere on the mountain, the other Autobots and Decepticons are recovering from their injuries. While [[Minerva]] tends to the wounds [[Metalhawk]] received during his battle with [[King Poseidon]] in one location, in another spot, [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] finally recover consciousness after the beating administered to them by BlackZarak. While Buster is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened, Hydra simply writes it off as punishment for weakness and proof that they must fight even harder. The chance for such a fight immediately arrives in the form of the Autobot [[Godmaster|Godmasters]], and even though the two weakened Decepticons practically collapse after only a few shots are exchanged, they continue to draw out the fight.

Some miles away, [[Clouder]] has supplied [[Cancer]], [[Wilder]] and [[Bullhorn]] with a heavily armed buggy so that they can participate in the battle on the Matterhorn. As the quartet head towards the Alps, Wilder chooses to remind everyone that he has definitely not joined the Autobots, but the protest has grown so stale that Cancer laughs it off, much to Wilder's annoyance.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak uppercut.jpg|thumb|right|200px|SHORYUKEN!]]
Back on the Matterhorn, BlackZarak is in mid-gloat when Ginrai comes bursting out of the ice and snow and stomps his opponent into the rock face. BlackZarak transforms back into robot mode and unleashes the "Devil Thunder Ring," encircling Ginrai with Devil Power with the intent of removing his humanity and transforming him into a true robot, just as he did with Hydra and Buster. As Ginrai fights the effect, [[Grand Maximus]] comes flying around the mountain. Having been unable to communicate with Ginrai, Grand and the [[Headmaster Junior|Headmaster Juniors]] have come to help. And help they do—a blast from the Maximus's cannon throws off BlackZarak's focus long enough for Ginrai to escape his Devil Power and take the fight up close. With a mighty swing and a flare of incandescent energy, Ginrai punches BlackZarak's head clean off his shoulders, and the decapitated Decepticon crashes into the mountain. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] cheers for his commander as BlackZarak's severed head lands alongside his body and explodes, but Grand silences him... because something is happening! BlackZarak's twitching, headless body rises up out of its crater, and as the shocked Autobots watch, it begins to transform into a new form!

At the base of the mountain, [[Mega]] and [[Giga]] stand by their [[Transtector|Transtectors]] and debate on what to do next. Realizing that they have been misled by [[Devil Z]], who has placed his hatred of human beings above even their comradeship, they know they can no longer serve him...and they now also owe Ginrai a debt of honor for saving them from Z's wrath. They are not the only Decepticons to reach a decision at this point, either—Hydra and Buster have reached the end of their strength and combine into Darkwings to flee their battle with the Autobot Godmasters.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai vs BlackZarak's heads.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Meanwhile, far above, BlackZarak's new form now stands revealed: a twisted, two-headed serpent, which launches energy blasts at God Ginrai from its mouths and swats him out of the sky with its tail. As the battle rages, Overlord appears overhead, and BlackZarak offers him a chance to redeem himself, but the Ambassador of Destruction opens fire on BlackZarak instead. Infuriated, BlackZarak vows to show Overlord what happens to traitors and envelops him in a beam of Devil Power. Crying in pain, Overlord's last act is to tell Ginrai to ensure that BlackZarak does not live, before Giga and Mega are suddenly ejected from the sphere of Devil Power. Shocked at what they are seeing, Ginrai and Grand Maximus are distracted enough to be blasted out of the sky by BlackZarak, just as the cocoon of Devil Power recedes and the Overlord Transtector emerges...now a truly living super-robot lifeform itself, brought to life by the power of Devil Z! Giga murmurs that he wishes they could have settled their rivalry with Ginrai honourably, and with that, he and Mega die and their [[Master-Brace|Master-Braces]] vanish from their wrists. Burning with righteous anger and [[Chōkon Power]], Ginrai rises, and Shūta, [[Cab]] and Minerva all feel the energy of their commander. In a flash of light, the three children find themselves in God Ginrai's chest cockpit, ready to fight alongside their leader as the defining moment of the battle draws nearer. Overlord lunges for Ginrai, but Grand Maximus transforms to robot mode and tackles him. BlackZarak orders Wilder, Cancer and Bullhorn's now-living [[Transtector|Transtectors]] to attack Ginrai instead, but the Godmasters arrive just in time to handle them, leaving Ginrai to face off against BlackZarak. God Fire Guts and Devil Power collide in a mighty explosion, hurling Ginrai back and leaving Devil Z simply laughing from within BlackZarak's body. He announces to Ginrai that the Autobot's very existence—the existence of all the Godmasters—is as a result of his machinations, and to him, they are nothing more than tools that will never be able to defeat their maker. Ginrai refutes this, declaring that Devil Z has long underestimated the strength of humans and the limitless possibilities that exist within Mankind, and that is why he shall never defeat them. Exploding into flame once more, Ginrai activates the God Fire Guts and dives at BlackZarak, driving hard against a beam of Devil Power. Fighting with all his strength, Ginrai overpowers the beam and crashes into and through BlackZarak, whose body finally explodes into fragments, exposing the glowing orb of Devil Z. As the villain rages impotently, Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors unite every drop of their Chōkon Power for one last, mighty attack: the FINAL FIRE GUTS! Burning with the passion and strength of his fellow humans and Autobots, Ginrai dives like a flaming spear into the heart of Devil Z, who screams and explodes in a coruscating wave of light and darkness.

[[Image:MF42 humans and transtectors.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Well, you're ordinary humans now. Enjoy not being super-powered robots!]]
As the blast dies out, the skies clear and Ginrai fades back into view, and the Decepticons battling below stop and gape, unable to comprehend what has occurred. Overlord is the first to take action...and that action is retreat. With their leader lost, the Decepticons immediately take to the air and head for space. Ginrai comes floating down out of the sky and lands in front his troops, but the surprises are not yet through, as all of the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors suddenly glow with blinding light. When the light fades, seven ordinary human beings are left standing on the snowy ground, and Minerva is the first to realize that their Master-Braces have vanished. It is [[Road King]] who then makes the next discovery: A short distance away, their Transtectors are standing in robot mode! Ginrai's Transtector looks down at the humans assembled before it, and thanks them for all they have done. It is then that Ginrai realizes what has happened—with Devil Z's death, the link that he created between the humans and their Transtectors has been broken. But now, their Transtectors live on, having become true super-robot lifeforms themselves, and it is their duty to pursue the fleeing Decepticons back into space. As goodbyes are said, Cancer and company roll up the mountain in their buggy, all weapons firing, just a little bit too late to do any good. As everyone watches and waves, the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors board Grand Maximus and blast off for space. As the narrator says, Ginrai's long battle with the Decepticons is over at last, but throughout it all, he has been supported by his friends, his fellow humans, and the beauty and peace of planet Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] (13)
* [[Lander]] (14)
* [[Phoenix]] (15)
* [[Metalhawk]] (16)
* [[Grand Maximus]] (23)

'''Human Autobots'''

* [[Minerva]] (10)
* [[Shūta Gō]] (11)
* [[Cab]] (12)
* [[Ginrai]] (17)
* [[Lightfoot]] (18)
* [[Ranger]] (19)
* [[Road King]] (20)

|c2=
* [[Dauros]] (1)
* [[Gilmer]] (2)
* [[Blood]] (3)
* [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] (8)
* [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] (9)
* [[King Poseidon]] (21)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] (22)

'''Human Decepticons'''

* [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (7)
* [[Giga]] (25)
* [[Mega]] (26)

|c3=
* [[Wilder]] (4)
* [[Bullhorn]] (5)
* [[Cancer]] (6)
* [[Clouder]] (24)

}}

==Quotes==
"One frozen scorpion, coming up!"
:—'''God Ginrai'''

{{Note|The following quotes are from the [[Omni Productions]] dub}}

"The battle between the Decepticons who want to destroy the Earth, and the Autobots who vow to uphold justice, has been going for a while."
:—The '''Narrator''' is a bit vague on details.

"Stop playing, I'm accelerating. ZOOM!"
:—'''Clouder'''

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
Among the changes made by the [[Omni Productions]] dub:
*The Matterhorn is described by the narrator as the Decepticons' control center.
*Devil Z calls his amplifier an "exterminator".
*Hawk doesn't bring up summoning the other Pretenders at all, leaving their absence a mystery.
*Clouder describes the Matterhorn as a "hill".
*God Ginrai's line in defiance of BlackZarak's threat to turn him into a robot is gone.
*Overlord's last line as he's being zapped by Devil Z is gone.
*God Ginrai's lecture to Devil Z about not killing his own men is changed to general "I will kill you!" banter.
*The determined growling during the shot of Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors is replaced by Cab's voice actor whimpering loudly.
*Overlord's line right after Devil Z's death becomes "It's finally been destroyed!", which seems more positive than the original script intended.
*"WE BELIEVE TOMORROW" is missing from the soundtrack, with no music to replace it. The last notes of it fade in just before the credits.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In the first shot after the title card, BlackZarak is absolutely ''towering'' over God Ginrai. In the past, he's not been much more than a head taller than him.

===Continuity errors===
*Having not appeared in the previous episode, and having been absent for two-thirds of this one, Cancer, Wilder, and Bullhorn's Transtectors are suddenly among the Decepticon ranks in the third act. The Doubleclouder Transtector is still missing, however, and is not seen among the Decepticons flying into space at the episode's close.
*How in the world does God Ginrai know who Giga and Mega are? He's only known them as Overlord, yet when they are separated from their transtector, God Ginrai calls out their names. Say what?. [[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!? | But 17 episodes ago]] Giga and Mega did introduce them selves as Giga and Mega but they were in the Gigatank and Megajet. unless Ginrai saw them in the tank and jet but that's very unlikely.
*This episode explains that Devil Z was responsible for forging the link between the Godmasters and their Transtectors. This makes sense; the Godmasters' Transtectors were not originally intended to be bonded with humans, so it had to be someone else's doing, and the fact that the death of Devil Z in this episode causes this link to be severed makes it clear that he's not lying about it. However, Shūta, Minerva and Cab are ''also'' separated from their Transtectors, and this ''doesn't'' make sense, because Devil Z had no hand in their combination. Unless it had something to do with being inside God Ginrai when he used the ''Final Fire Guts''
*Grand Maximus carries the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors into space at the end of this episode, which is inconsistent with how he has been presented in the rest of the series. Whereas his big brother, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], was large enough to transport Transformers around, Grand's battleship has been consistently depicted as being scaled for transporting ''humans'' around (consequently, he only transforms into a robot as tall as God Ginrai, instead of a towering giant like his sibling). But here, he is boarded by Transformers. [[Size changing|Oops]].

===Continuity notes===
*BlackZarak has been decapitated before, back in "[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]".
*Cancer, Wilder and Bullhorn (and Clouder) had their Transtectors brought to life in "[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]".

===Trivia===
*The insert songs "[[Susume! Chōjin Masterforce]]" and "[[We Believe Tomorrow|WE BELIEVE TOMORROW]]" are reprised for this episode, the former in instrumental form.
*BlackZarak's serpent mode, like [[Sixshot]]'s "Wingwolf" mode and Overlord's "space jet" mode before it, was created by the production staff of the animated series by tinkering around with the toy. (Specifically, they beheaded the scorpion mode, turned it belly-forward, and used the claws for twin dragon heads.) In comparison to those other two characters, though, this mode was streamlined to a greater degree for animation (such as completely omitting the scorpion legs), so the actual toy doesn't look nearly as good if transformed to match it.
*Metalhawk (and presumably the other Autobot Pretenders too) remains behind on Earth. Presumably, that's because someone still needs to hunt down the Decepticon Pretenders and the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]], who last appeared (chronologically speaking) in the previous episode, and whose fates are left unrevealed.
*While this episode marks the end of the ''Super-God Masterforce'' story, it is not the end of the series. For the video release of the show, five clip episodes were created, and the final one of these, "[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]", was aired as the forty-third and final episode of the broadcast series.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote|jsubs}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2008 — ''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' ([[Madman Entertainment]]) — Optional [[Omni Productions|Omni]] dub. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle... and Then...}}
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce episodes]]

A Battle... and Then...

2010-08-07T11:19:55Z

125.237.143.160: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=Masterforce
|ep=42
|image=Abattleandthen.jpg
|caption=An epic showdown... because every show needs one.
|title="A Battle... and Then..."
|japanese=戦闘.....そして<ref>Although 戦闘 is technically ''sentō'', ''tatakai'' is pronounced, but the meaning is the same—"combat" or "fight".</ref>
|romaji=Tatakai.....Soshite
|production code=
|production company=[[TakaraTomy|Takara]], [[Toei]]
|airdate=[[February 28|28 February]] 1989
|writer=[[Yoshihisa Araki]]
|director=[[Jōhei Matsūra]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''It's BlackZarak versus God Ginrai—the power of Evil against the power of Man, and the winner will decide the fate of Earth!'''

:''Omni Productions dub title:'' "'''The Ultimate Battle'''"
:''Latin-American dub title:'' "'''La Última Batalla'''"

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak struggle in sky.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Have you hugged your scorpion today?]]
At the peak of the Matterhorn, [[Ginrai]] and the fused [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] entity prepare to face off against each other in their final battle. BlackZarak inquires if the [[Autobot]] leader plans to fight him alone, and Ginrai responds with a barrage of laser fire, which BlackZarak shrugs off. The villain transforms to scorpion mode and takes to the air, but Ginrai pursues him and seizes him by the tail. BlackZarak roars that he does not have time to waste on Ginrai, freely divulging his plan—he has placed an amplifier for his Devil Power at the South Pole, which will allow him to eliminate Humanity in the blink of an eye. The furious Ginrai attempts to drag BlackZarak back down to the mountain's peak, and he calls out for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and the [[Darkwings]] brothers to aid him. Help is not forthcoming, but Ginrai still manages to rip off BlackZarak's cannons and tricks the villain into blasting himself with his own tail weapon. Damaged, BlackZarak begins to lose altitude, and Ginrai uses his own jets to steer the [[Decepticon]] into the mountainside. At the last second, however, BlackZarak throws off Ginrai and collapses part of the mountain, burying Ginrai in an avalanche.

Elsewhere on the mountain, the other Autobots and Decepticons are recovering from their injuries. While [[Minerva]] tends to the wounds [[Metalhawk]] received during his battle with [[King Poseidon]] in one location, in another spot, [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] finally recover consciousness after the beating administered to them by BlackZarak. While Buster is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened, Hydra simply writes it off as punishment for weakness and proof that they must fight even harder. The chance for such a fight immediately arrives in the form of the Autobot [[Godmaster|Godmasters]], and even though the two weakened Decepticons practically collapse after only a few shots are exchanged, they continue to draw out the fight.

Some miles away, [[Clouder]] has supplied [[Cancer]], [[Wilder]] and [[Bullhorn]] with a heavily armed buggy so that they can participate in the battle on the Matterhorn. As the quartet head towards the Alps, Wilder chooses to remind everyone that he has definitely not joined the Autobots, but the protest has grown so stale that Cancer laughs it off, much to Wilder's annoyance.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak uppercut.jpg|thumb|right|200px|SHORYUKEN!]]
Back on the Matterhorn, BlackZarak is in mid-gloat when Ginrai comes bursting out of the ice and snow and stomps his opponent into the rock face. BlackZarak transforms back into robot mode and unleashes the "Devil Thunder Ring," encircling Ginrai with Devil Power with the intent of removing his humanity and transforming him into a true robot, just as he did with Hydra and Buster. As Ginrai fights the effect, [[Grand Maximus]] comes flying around the mountain. Having been unable to communicate with Ginrai, Grand and the [[Headmaster Junior|Headmaster Juniors]] have come to help. And help they do—a blast from the Maximus's cannon throws off BlackZarak's focus long enough for Ginrai to escape his Devil Power and take the fight up close. With a mighty swing and a flare of incandescent energy, Ginrai punches BlackZarak's head clean off his shoulders, and the decapitated Decepticon crashes into the mountain. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] cheers for his commander as BlackZarak's severed head lands alongside his body and explodes, but Grand silences him... because something is happening! BlackZarak's twitching, headless body rises up out of its crater, and as the shocked Autobots watch, it begins to transform into a new form!

At the base of the mountain, [[Mega]] and [[Giga]] stand by their [[Transtector|Transtectors]] and debate on what to do next. Realizing that they have been misled by [[Devil Z]], who has placed his hatred of human beings above even their comradeship, they know they can no longer serve him...and they now also owe Ginrai a debt of honor for saving them from Z's wrath. They are not the only Decepticons to reach a decision at this point, either—Hydra and Buster have reached the end of their strength and combine into Darkwings to flee their battle with the Autobot Godmasters.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai vs BlackZarak's heads.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Meanwhile, far above, BlackZarak's new form now stands revealed: a twisted, two-headed serpent, which launches energy blasts at God Ginrai from its mouths and swats him out of the sky with its tail. As the battle rages, Overlord appears overhead, and BlackZarak offers him a chance to redeem himself, but the Ambassador of Destruction opens fire on BlackZarak instead. Infuriated, BlackZarak vows to show Overlord what happens to traitors and envelops him in a beam of Devil Power. Crying in pain, Overlord's last act is to tell Ginrai to ensure that BlackZarak does not live, before Giga and Mega are suddenly ejected from the sphere of Devil Power. Shocked at what they are seeing, Ginrai and Grand Maximus are distracted enough to be blasted out of the sky by BlackZarak, just as the cocoon of Devil Power recedes and the Overlord Transtector emerges...now a truly living super-robot lifeform itself, brought to life by the power of Devil Z! Giga murmurs that he wishes they could have settled their rivalry with Ginrai honourably, and with that, he and Mega die and their [[Master-Brace|Master-Braces]] vanish from their wrists. Burning with righteous anger and [[Chōkon Power]], Ginrai rises, and Shūta, [[Cab]] and Minerva all feel the energy of their commander. In a flash of light, the three children find themselves in God Ginrai's chest cockpit, ready to fight alongside their leader as the defining moment of the battle draws nearer. Overlord lunges for Ginrai, but Grand Maximus transforms to robot mode and tackles him. BlackZarak orders Wilder, Cancer and Bullhorn's now-living [[Transtector|Transtectors]] to attack Ginrai instead, but the Godmasters arrive just in time to handle them, leaving Ginrai to face off against BlackZarak. God Fire Guts and Devil Power collide in a mighty explosion, hurling Ginrai back and leaving Devil Z simply laughing from within BlackZarak's body. He announces to Ginrai that the Autobot's very existence—the existence of all the Godmasters—is as a result of his machinations, and to him, they are nothing more than tools that will never be able to defeat their maker. Ginrai refutes this, declaring that Devil Z has long underestimated the strength of humans and the limitless possibilities that exist within Mankind, and that is why he shall never defeat them. Exploding into flame once more, Ginrai activates the God Fire Guts and dives at BlackZarak, driving hard against a beam of Devil Power. Fighting with all his strength, Ginrai overpowers the beam and crashes into and through BlackZarak, whose body finally explodes into fragments, exposing the glowing orb of Devil Z. As the villain rages impotently, Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors unite every drop of their Chōkon Power for one last, mighty attack: the FINAL FIRE GUTS! Burning with the passion and strength of his fellow humans and Autobots, Ginrai dives like a flaming spear into the heart of Devil Z, who screams and explodes in a coruscating wave of light and darkness.

[[Image:MF42 humans and transtectors.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Well, you're ordinary humans now. Enjoy not being super-powered robots!]]
As the blast dies out, the skies clear and Ginrai fades back into view, and the Decepticons battling below stop and gape, unable to comprehend what has occurred. Overlord is the first to take action...and that action is retreat. With their leader lost, the Decepticons immediately take to the air and head for space. Ginrai comes floating down out of the sky and lands in front his troops, but the surprises are not yet through, as all of the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors suddenly glow with blinding light. When the light fades, seven ordinary human beings are left standing on the snowy ground, and Minerva is the first to realize that their Master-Braces have vanished. It is [[Road King]] who then makes the next discovery: A short distance away, their Transtectors are standing in robot mode! Ginrai's Transtector looks down at the humans assembled before it, and thanks them for all they have done. It is then that Ginrai realizes what has happened—with Devil Z's death, the link that he created between the humans and their Transtectors has been broken. But now, their Transtectors live on, having become true super-robot lifeforms themselves, and it is their duty to pursue the fleeing Decepticons back into space. As goodbyes are said, Cancer and company roll up the mountain in their buggy, all weapons firing, just a little bit too late to do any good. As everyone watches and waves, the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors board Grand Maximus and blast off for space. As the narrator says, Ginrai's long battle with the Decepticons is over at last, but throughout it all, he has been supported by his friends, his fellow humans, and the beauty and peace of planet Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] (13)
* [[Lander]] (14)
* [[Phoenix]] (15)
* [[Metalhawk]] (16)
* [[Grand Maximus]] (23)

'''Human Autobots'''

* [[Minerva]] (10)
* [[Shūta Gō]] (11)
* [[Cab]] (12)
* [[Ginrai]] (17)
* [[Lightfoot]] (18)
* [[Ranger]] (19)
* [[Road King]] (20)

|c2=
* [[Dauros]] (1)
* [[Gilmer]] (2)
* [[Blood]] (3)
* [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] (8)
* [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] (9)
* [[King Poseidon]] (21)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] (22)

'''Human Decepticons'''

* [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (7)
* [[Giga]] (25)
* [[Mega]] (26)

|c3=
* [[Wilder]] (4)
* [[Bullhorn]] (5)
* [[Cancer]] (6)
* [[Clouder]] (24)

}}

==Quotes==
"One frozen scorpion, coming up!"
:—'''God Ginrai'''

{{Note|The following quotes are from the [[Omni Productions]] dub}}

"The battle between the Decepticons who want to destroy the Earth, and the Autobots who vow to uphold justice, has been going for a while."
:—The '''Narrator''' is a bit vague on details.

"Stop playing, I'm accelerating. ZOOM!"
:—'''Clouder'''

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
Among the changes made by the [[Omni Productions]] dub:
*The Matterhorn is described by the narrator as the Decepticons' control center.
*Devil Z calls his amplifier an "exterminator".
*Hawk doesn't bring up summoning the other Pretenders at all, leaving their absence a mystery.
*Clouder describes the Matterhorn as a "hill".
*God Ginrai's line in defiance of BlackZarak's threat to turn him into a robot is gone.
*Overlord's last line as he's being zapped by Devil Z is gone.
*God Ginrai's lecture to Devil Z about not killing his own men is changed to general "I will kill you!" banter.
*The determined growling during the shot of Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors is replaced by Cab's voice actor whimpering loudly.
*Overlord's line right after Devil Z's death becomes "It's finally been destroyed!", which seems more positive than the original script intended.
*"WE BELIEVE TOMORROW" is missing from the soundtrack, with no music to replace it. The last notes of it fade in just before the credits.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In the first shot after the title card, BlackZarak is absolutely ''towering'' over God Ginrai. In the past, he's not been much more than a head taller than him.

===Continuity errors===
*Having not appeared in the previous episode, and having been absent for two-thirds of this one, Cancer, Wilder, and Bullhorn's Transtectors are suddenly among the Decepticon ranks in the third act. The Doubleclouder Transtector is still missing, however, and is not seen among the Decepticons flying into space at the episode's close.
*How in the world does God Ginrai know who Giga and Mega are? He's only known them as Overlord, yet when they are separated from their transtector, God Ginrai calls out their names. Say what?. [[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!? | But 17 episodes ago]] Giga and Mega did introduce them selves as Giga and Mega but they were in the Gigatank and Megajet. unless Ginrai saw them in the tank and jet but that's very unlikely.
*This episode explains that Devil Z was responsible for forging the link between the Godmasters and their Transtectors. This makes sense; the Godmasters' Transtectors were not originally intended to be bonded with humans, so it had to be someone else's doing, and the fact that the death of Devil Z in this episode causes this link to be severed makes it clear that he's not lying about it. However, Shūta, Minerva and Cab are ''also'' separated from their Transtectors, and this ''doesn't'' make sense, because Devil Z had no hand in their combination.
*Grand Maximus carries the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors into space at the end of this episode, which is inconsistent with how he has been presented in the rest of the series. Whereas his big brother, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], was large enough to transport Transformers around, Grand's battleship has been consistently depicted as being scaled for transporting ''humans'' around (consequently, he only transforms into a robot as tall as God Ginrai, instead of a towering giant like his sibling). But here, he is boarded by Transformers. [[Size changing|Oops]].

===Continuity notes===
*BlackZarak has been decapitated before, back in "[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]".
*Cancer, Wilder and Bullhorn (and Clouder) had their Transtectors brought to life in "[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]".

===Trivia===
*The insert songs "[[Susume! Chōjin Masterforce]]" and "[[We Believe Tomorrow|WE BELIEVE TOMORROW]]" are reprised for this episode, the former in instrumental form.
*BlackZarak's serpent mode, like [[Sixshot]]'s "Wingwolf" mode and Overlord's "space jet" mode before it, was created by the production staff of the animated series by tinkering around with the toy. (Specifically, they beheaded the scorpion mode, turned it belly-forward, and used the claws for twin dragon heads.) In comparison to those other two characters, though, this mode was streamlined to a greater degree for animation (such as completely omitting the scorpion legs), so the actual toy doesn't look nearly as good if transformed to match it.
*Metalhawk (and presumably the other Autobot Pretenders too) remains behind on Earth. Presumably, that's because someone still needs to hunt down the Decepticon Pretenders and the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]], who last appeared (chronologically speaking) in the previous episode, and whose fates are left unrevealed.
*While this episode marks the end of the ''Super-God Masterforce'' story, it is not the end of the series. For the video release of the show, five clip episodes were created, and the final one of these, "[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]", was aired as the forty-third and final episode of the broadcast series.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote|jsubs}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2008 — ''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' ([[Madman Entertainment]]) — Optional [[Omni Productions|Omni]] dub. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle... and Then...}}
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce episodes]]

A Battle... and Then...

2010-08-07T11:18:32Z

125.237.143.160: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=Masterforce
|ep=42
|image=Abattleandthen.jpg
|caption=An epic showdown... because every show needs one.
|title="A Battle... and Then..."
|japanese=戦闘.....そして<ref>Although 戦闘 is technically ''sentō'', ''tatakai'' is pronounced, but the meaning is the same—"combat" or "fight".</ref>
|romaji=Tatakai.....Soshite
|production code=
|production company=[[TakaraTomy|Takara]], [[Toei]]
|airdate=[[February 28|28 February]] 1989
|writer=[[Yoshihisa Araki]]
|director=[[Jōhei Matsūra]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''It's BlackZarak versus God Ginrai—the power of Evil against the power of Man, and the winner will decide the fate of Earth!'''

:''Omni Productions dub title:'' "'''The Ultimate Battle'''"
:''Latin-American dub title:'' "'''La Última Batalla'''"

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak struggle in sky.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Have you hugged your scorpion today?]]
At the peak of the Matterhorn, [[Ginrai]] and the fused [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] entity prepare to face off against each other in their final battle. BlackZarak inquires if the [[Autobot]] leader plans to fight him alone, and Ginrai responds with a barrage of laser fire, which BlackZarak shrugs off. The villain transforms to scorpion mode and takes to the air, but Ginrai pursues him and seizes him by the tail. BlackZarak roars that he does not have time to waste on Ginrai, freely divulging his plan—he has placed an amplifier for his Devil Power at the South Pole, which will allow him to eliminate Humanity in the blink of an eye. The furious Ginrai attempts to drag BlackZarak back down to the mountain's peak, and he calls out for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and the [[Darkwings]] brothers to aid him. Help is not forthcoming, but Ginrai still manages to rip off BlackZarak's cannons and tricks the villain into blasting himself with his own tail weapon. Damaged, BlackZarak begins to lose altitude, and Ginrai uses his own jets to steer the [[Decepticon]] into the mountainside. At the last second, however, BlackZarak throws off Ginrai and collapses part of the mountain, burying Ginrai in an avalanche.

Elsewhere on the mountain, the other Autobots and Decepticons are recovering from their injuries. While [[Minerva]] tends to the wounds [[Metalhawk]] received during his battle with [[King Poseidon]] in one location, in another spot, [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] finally recover consciousness after the beating administered to them by BlackZarak. While Buster is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened, Hydra simply writes it off as punishment for weakness and proof that they must fight even harder. The chance for such a fight immediately arrives in the form of the Autobot [[Godmaster|Godmasters]], and even though the two weakened Decepticons practically collapse after only a few shots are exchanged, they continue to draw out the fight.

Some miles away, [[Clouder]] has supplied [[Cancer]], [[Wilder]] and [[Bullhorn]] with a heavily armed buggy so that they can participate in the battle on the Matterhorn. As the quartet head towards the Alps, Wilder chooses to remind everyone that he has definitely not joined the Autobots, but the protest has grown so stale that Cancer laughs it off, much to Wilder's annoyance.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai BlackZarak uppercut.jpg|thumb|right|200px|SHORYUKEN!]]
Back on the Matterhorn, BlackZarak is in mid-gloat when Ginrai comes bursting out of the ice and snow and stomps his opponent into the rock face. BlackZarak transforms back into robot mode and unleashes the "Devil Thunder Ring," encircling Ginrai with Devil Power with the intent of removing his humanity and transforming him into a true robot, just as he did with Hydra and Buster. As Ginrai fights the effect, [[Grand Maximus]] comes flying around the mountain. Having been unable to communicate with Ginrai, Grand and the [[Headmaster Junior|Headmaster Juniors]] have come to help. And help they do—a blast from the Maximus's cannon throws off BlackZarak's focus long enough for Ginrai to escape his Devil Power and take the fight up close. With a mighty swing and a flare of incandescent energy, Ginrai punches BlackZarak's head clean off his shoulders, and the decapitated Decepticon crashes into the mountain. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] cheers for his commander as BlackZarak's severed head lands alongside his body and explodes, but Grand silences him... because something is happening! BlackZarak's twitching, headless body rises up out of its crater, and as the shocked Autobots watch, it begins to transform into a new form!

At the base of the mountain, [[Mega]] and [[Giga]] stand by their [[Transtector|Transtectors]] and debate on what to do next. Realizing that they have been misled by [[Devil Z]], who has placed his hatred of human beings above even their comradeship, they know they can no longer serve him...and they now also owe Ginrai a debt of honor for saving them from Z's wrath. They are not the only Decepticons to reach a decision at this point, either—Hydra and Buster have reached the end of their strength and combine into Darkwings to flee their battle with the Autobot Godmasters.

[[Image:MF42 Ginrai vs BlackZarak's heads.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Meanwhile, far above, BlackZarak's new form now stands revealed: a twisted, two-headed serpent, which launches energy blasts at God Ginrai from its mouths and swats him out of the sky with its tail. As the battle rages, Overlord appears overhead, and BlackZarak offers him a chance to redeem himself, but the Ambassador of Destruction opens fire on BlackZarak instead. Infuriated, BlackZarak vows to show Overlord what happens to traitors and envelops him in a beam of Devil Power. Crying in pain, Overlord's last act is to tell Ginrai to ensure that BlackZarak does not live, before Giga and Mega are suddenly ejected from the sphere of Devil Power. Shocked at what they are seeing, Ginrai and Grand Maximus are distracted enough to be blasted out of the sky by BlackZarak, just as the cocoon of Devil Power recedes and the Overlord Transtector emerges...now a truly living super-robot lifeform itself, brought to life by the power of Devil Z! Giga murmurs that he wishes they could have settled their rivalry with Ginrai honourably, and with that, he and Mega die and their [[Master-Brace|Master-Braces]] vanish from their wrists. Burning with righteous anger and [[Chōkon Power]], Ginrai rises, and Shūta, [[Cab]] and Minerva all feel the energy of their commander. In a flash of light, the three children find themselves in God Ginrai's chest cockpit, ready to fight alongside their leader as the defining moment of the battle draws nearer. Overlord lunges for Ginrai, but Grand Maximus transforms to robot mode and tackles him. BlackZarak orders Wilder, Cancer and Bullhorn's now-living [[Transtector|Transtectors]] to attack Ginrai instead, but the Godmasters arrive just in time to handle them, leaving Ginrai to face off against BlackZarak. God Fire Guts and Devil Power collide in a mighty explosion, hurling Ginrai back and leaving Devil Z simply laughing from within BlackZarak's body. He announces to Ginrai that the Autobot's very existence—the existence of all the Godmasters—is as a result of his machinations, and to him, they are nothing more than tools that will never be able to defeat their maker. Ginrai refutes this, declaring that Devil Z has long underestimated the strength of humans and the limitless possibilities that exist within Mankind, and that is why he shall never defeat them. Exploding into flame once more, Ginrai activates the God Fire Guts and dives at BlackZarak, driving hard against a beam of Devil Power. Fighting with all his strength, Ginrai overpowers the beam and crashes into and through BlackZarak, whose body finally explodes into fragments, exposing the glowing orb of Devil Z. As the villain rages impotently, Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors unite every drop of their Chōkon Power for one last, mighty attack: the FINAL FIRE GUTS! Burning with the passion and strength of his fellow humans and Autobots, Ginrai dives like a flaming spear into the heart of Devil Z, who screams and explodes in a coruscating wave of light and darkness.

[[Image:MF42 humans and transtectors.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Well, you're ordinary humans now. Enjoy not being super-powered robots!]]
As the blast dies out, the skies clear and Ginrai fades back into view, and the Decepticons battling below stop and gape, unable to comprehend what has occurred. Overlord is the first to take action...and that action is retreat. With their leader lost, the Decepticons immediately take to the air and head for space. Ginrai comes floating down out of the sky and lands in front his troops, but the surprises are not yet through, as all of the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors suddenly glow with blinding light. When the light fades, seven ordinary human beings are left standing on the snowy ground, and Minerva is the first to realize that their Master-Braces have vanished. It is [[Road King]] who then makes the next discovery: A short distance away, their Transtectors are standing in robot mode! Ginrai's Transtector looks down at the humans assembled before it, and thanks them for all they have done. It is then that Ginrai realizes what has happened—with Devil Z's death, the link that he created between the humans and their Transtectors has been broken. But now, their Transtectors live on, having become true super-robot lifeforms themselves, and it is their duty to pursue the fleeing Decepticons back into space. As goodbyes are said, Cancer and company roll up the mountain in their buggy, all weapons firing, just a little bit too late to do any good. As everyone watches and waves, the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors board Grand Maximus and blast off for space. As the narrator says, Ginrai's long battle with the Decepticons is over at last, but throughout it all, he has been supported by his friends, his fellow humans, and the beauty and peace of planet Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] (13)
* [[Lander]] (14)
* [[Phoenix]] (15)
* [[Metalhawk]] (16)
* [[Grand Maximus]] (23)

'''Human Autobots'''

* [[Minerva]] (10)
* [[Shūta Gō]] (11)
* [[Cab]] (12)
* [[Ginrai]] (17)
* [[Lightfoot]] (18)
* [[Ranger]] (19)
* [[Road King]] (20)

|c2=
* [[Dauros]] (1)
* [[Gilmer]] (2)
* [[Blood]] (3)
* [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] (8)
* [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] (9)
* [[King Poseidon]] (21)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]/[[Devil Z]] (22)

'''Human Decepticons'''

* [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (7)
* [[Giga]] (25)
* [[Mega]] (26)

|c3=
* [[Wilder]] (4)
* [[Bullhorn]] (5)
* [[Cancer]] (6)
* [[Clouder]] (24)

}}

==Quotes==
"One frozen scorpion, coming up!"
:—'''God Ginrai'''

{{Note|The following quotes are from the [[Omni Productions]] dub}}

"The battle between the Decepticons who want to destroy the Earth, and the Autobots who vow to uphold justice, has been going for a while."
:—The '''Narrator''' is a bit vague on details.

"Stop playing, I'm accelerating. ZOOM!"
:—'''Clouder'''

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
Among the changes made by the [[Omni Productions]] dub:
*The Matterhorn is described by the narrator as the Decepticons' control center.
*Devil Z calls his amplifier an "exterminator".
*Hawk doesn't bring up summoning the other Pretenders at all, leaving their absence a mystery.
*Clouder describes the Matterhorn as a "hill".
*God Ginrai's line in defiance of BlackZarak's threat to turn him into a robot is gone.
*Overlord's last line as he's being zapped by Devil Z is gone.
*God Ginrai's lecture to Devil Z about not killing his own men is changed to general "I will kill you!" banter.
*The determined growling during the shot of Ginrai and the Headmaster Juniors is replaced by Cab's voice actor whimpering loudly.
*Overlord's line right after Devil Z's death becomes "It's finally been destroyed!", which seems more positive than the original script intended.
*"WE BELIEVE TOMORROW" is missing from the soundtrack, with no music to replace it. The last notes of it fade in just before the credits.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In the first shot after the title card, BlackZarak is absolutely ''towering'' over God Ginrai. In the past, he's not been much more than a head taller than him.

===Continuity errors===
*Having not appeared in the previous episode, and having been absent for two-thirds of this one, Cancer, Wilder, and Bullhorn's Transtectors are suddenly among the Decepticon ranks in the third act. The Doubleclouder Transtector is still missing, however, and is not seen among the Decepticons flying into space at the episode's close.
*How in the world does God Ginrai know who Giga and Mega are? He's only known them as Overlord, yet when they are separated from their transtector, God Ginrai calls out their names. Say what?. [[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!? | But 17 episodes ago Giga and Mega did introduce them selves as Giga and Mega but they were in the Gigatank and Megajet. unless Ginrai saw them in the tank and jet but that's very unlikely.
*This episode explains that Devil Z was responsible for forging the link between the Godmasters and their Transtectors. This makes sense; the Godmasters' Transtectors were not originally intended to be bonded with humans, so it had to be someone else's doing, and the fact that the death of Devil Z in this episode causes this link to be severed makes it clear that he's not lying about it. However, Shūta, Minerva and Cab are ''also'' separated from their Transtectors, and this ''doesn't'' make sense, because Devil Z had no hand in their combination.
*Grand Maximus carries the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors into space at the end of this episode, which is inconsistent with how he has been presented in the rest of the series. Whereas his big brother, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], was large enough to transport Transformers around, Grand's battleship has been consistently depicted as being scaled for transporting ''humans'' around (consequently, he only transforms into a robot as tall as God Ginrai, instead of a towering giant like his sibling). But here, he is boarded by Transformers. [[Size changing|Oops]].

===Continuity notes===
*BlackZarak has been decapitated before, back in "[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]".
*Cancer, Wilder and Bullhorn (and Clouder) had their Transtectors brought to life in "[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]".

===Trivia===
*The insert songs "[[Susume! Chōjin Masterforce]]" and "[[We Believe Tomorrow|WE BELIEVE TOMORROW]]" are reprised for this episode, the former in instrumental form.
*BlackZarak's serpent mode, like [[Sixshot]]'s "Wingwolf" mode and Overlord's "space jet" mode before it, was created by the production staff of the animated series by tinkering around with the toy. (Specifically, they beheaded the scorpion mode, turned it belly-forward, and used the claws for twin dragon heads.) In comparison to those other two characters, though, this mode was streamlined to a greater degree for animation (such as completely omitting the scorpion legs), so the actual toy doesn't look nearly as good if transformed to match it.
*Metalhawk (and presumably the other Autobot Pretenders too) remains behind on Earth. Presumably, that's because someone still needs to hunt down the Decepticon Pretenders and the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]], who last appeared (chronologically speaking) in the previous episode, and whose fates are left unrevealed.
*While this episode marks the end of the ''Super-God Masterforce'' story, it is not the end of the series. For the video release of the show, five clip episodes were created, and the final one of these, "[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]", was aired as the forty-third and final episode of the broadcast series.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote|jsubs}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2008 — ''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' ([[Madman Entertainment]]) — Optional [[Omni Productions|Omni]] dub. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle... and Then...}}
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce episodes]]

RyÅ NaitÅ

2010-08-07T11:05:34Z

125.237.143.160: /* Beast Wars II */

'''Ryō Naitō''' (内藤玲 ''Naitō Ryō'') is a Japanese voice actor. He was born on [[June 22|June 22nd]], 1974 in Osaka. He has voiced characters such as Touta Matsuda in ''Death Note'' and Ryuji Otogi (Duke Devlin) in ''Yu-Gi-Oh!''.

==Roles==
===''Beast Wars II''===
* [[DJ (BWII)|DJ]]
* [[Tripledacus|Tripledacus]]
* [[Ikard|Ikard October Barks]]

===''Beast Wars Neo''===
* [[Hydra (BWN)|Hydra]]

===''Car Robot''===
*[[Slapper (RID)|Gusher]]
*[[Mirage (RID)|Counter Arrow]]

==External links==
* [http://www.nelke.co.jp/lovelive/pro_naitoh.html Love Live]
*[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=2414 Ryō Naitō] at Anime News Network

[[Category:Japanese voice actors|Naito Ryo]]

Megastorm (BW)

2010-08-07T10:14:44Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|predacon}}
{{disambig2|the Beast Wars II Predacon|Megatron (any of them)|Megatron (disambiguation)}}
{{picsneeded}}
:''Megastorm is the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Emperor of Destruction|Duke of Destruction]] later a [[Cyborg Beast]] as well during [[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]. He was later upgraded into Gigastorm.''

[[Image:MegastormModel.jpg|right|300px|thumb|You can't see his eyeliner very well here.]]
'''Megastorm''' is the Predacon Duke of Destruction and [[Relatives|younger brother]] to [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]], the [[Emperor of Destruction]]. He believes in being realistic and conservative when it comes to goals and strategy and hence tends to have a rather different viewpoint than his more bold and reckless older brother. Finally when Galvatron began his audacious quest for the [[Angolmois]] energy the differences between them became too great and Megastorm began to consider how he could seize the reins of command and steer them back towards sanity. Galvatron is well aware of his younger sibling's attempts at treachery, but looks the other way purely out of brotherly love.

Megastorm can transform into a tank. He was later upgraded by Angolmois into '''Gigastorm''', a giant mechanical [[Hojoni]], which gave him a base mode and a battle station mode, along with a [[Gigascouter]] drone. His personality was likewise magnified to drive out all compassion, weakness, and doubt. The upgrade included an enlarged title as Arch-Duke of Destruction.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoons====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Takashi Matsuyama]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Megastorm1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My Stormin' Norman commemorative plates have been stolen! ...again.]]
[[Image:Gigastorm1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|In reality, Monster Island is only a peninsula!]]
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction}}
====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
{{charstubfiction}}

===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
[[Image:MangaGigastormRecliner.jpg|left|180px|thumb|I say, this is a delightful brew, chappies.]]
Gigastorm was killed in battle with Lio Convoy. He shared one last, sweet scene with his older brother before dying. Galvatron swore revenge for his brother's death.

{{-}}
===Universe Featuring the Wreckers===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

==Games==
===''Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle'' video game===
A super-powerful [[Energon crystal]] is discovered on [[Earth]], and Megastorm intends to obtain it for himself. So do several other Predacons and Maximals however, leading to a series of one-on-one battles.

Megastorm could also partake in various other tasks, such as a mission to break a boulder to reveal an energon crystal hidden within before sundown, using a block in a mission to defend himself against various incoming projectiles, and missions to travel across a pit-riddled field, sometimes involving hideously large bacteria he had to fend off.

After defeating his final opponent, [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], Megastorm gloats that using the crystal's power, he will finally be capable of overthrowing his older brother, [[Galvatron (BWII)|Glavatron]]. But his plans never become reality, as Galvatron steals the crystal from under Megastorm's nose. {{storylink|Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle}}
{{note|Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Megastorm's fate in those outcomes.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
* '''Megastorm''' (Predacon, 1998)
** ''Japanese ID number'': '''D-12'''

: A [[redeco]] of the first ''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] toy (which had not been released in Japan previously), Megastorm transforms into a large combat tank. In both modes, his main cannon stocks up to six missiles, and gravity slides the next missile into place when one is fired. Megastorm lacks the electronics present in the ''Generation 2'' toy, however.

* '''Apache vs Megastorm''' (Vs pack, 1998)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''VS-12'''

: Megastorm was also available in a two-pack with the Maximal [[Apache]].

* '''Gigastorm''' (Predacon, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-22'''

: Gigastorm is a partial [[retool]] of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], giving him a new dino-mode nose-horn as well as removing the metal ball-bearings from the outsides of the legs. He transforms from a T-rex-thing to a base-form-thing. Gigastorm lacks most of Trypticon's accessories, only coming with [[Gigascouter]], a redeco of [[Full-Tilt]].

==Notes==
* According to [[Ben Yee]], who wrote his [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] profile, he envisioned Megastorm as having Trypticon's design specs in his database and using those as the basis of his upgraded form when empowered by [[Angolmois]] energy.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Megastorm/megastorm.htm Megastorm at TFU.info]
*[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Gigastorm/gigastorm.htm Gigastorm at TFU.info]

[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Destrons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]

Thrust (BW)

2010-08-07T10:13:59Z

125.237.143.160:

{{faction|predacon|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Thrust}}
:''Thrust is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Combatron (BWII)|Combatron]] later a [[Cyborg Beast]] from the [[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]] who was later upgraded into '''Thrustor'''.''

[[Image:BWIIThrustGuidebook.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Thrust poses dramatically in a rare moment of not being comedically shot down by his own side or caught in giant mosquito netting.]]
Like his best friend, [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]], '''Thrust''' has the attitude of a comedian. He never calms down and hates acting serious. He’d much rather have fun and take things in stride. Thrust has a shrewd personality, though, and along with Dirge he forms a well-known duo among the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Unfortunately, the duo isn’t known for exactly what they’d like to be. For the most part, they are thought of as bunglers. Thrust hates sea breezes since they tend to cause him to [[rust]] and for that reason alone he has a great hatred of the [[Maximal]] [[Scuba]].

After pledging unconditional loyalty to [[Megastorm|Gigastorm]], Thrust was reborn as '''Thrustor''' (スラストール ''Surasutōru''). While he retains the same jovial personality, Thrustor is an all-around superior warrior to his previous form and no longer a harmless joke among the Maximals.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Junji Sanechika]] (Japanese)

[[Image:ThrustorMovie1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|But it's the pelvic Thrustor that really drives you insaaaaane.]]
Thrust was under the command of [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] when he landed on [[Gaea]], planning to drain the planet of its mysterious but powerful energy. {{storylink|The New Forces Arrive!}} Eventually, the Predacon force discovered an abandoned Gaean computer, containing data on weapons from the planet's past. The Predacons scanned this data for new [[Alternate mode|alternate modes]], and Thrust adopted the form of an F-22 Raptor. He and Dirge were subsequently sent out to capture a [[Lio Convoy|white lion]] that had interferred with Galvatron's plans, but stopped to make fun of [[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]] and [[BB]] on the way. They had a good laugh about it until BB fired smokescreen missiles at them, causing them to crash into a cliffside. {{storylink|White Lion, Run!}}

{{-}}

{{charstubfiction}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
[[Image:BWAscending4 heralds.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
At some point, Thrustor became a [[Herald of Unicron|herald for Unicron]]. He too became a [[Herald of Shokaract]] to safeguard [[Shokaract]], the vessel for [[Unicron]]'s return. When Shokaract engaged the Maximal commander [[Big Convoy]] in battle, Thrustor and the other Heralds returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with [[Angolmois]] from the furthest reaches of the galaxy. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}}

Thrustor and the rest of the Heralds proceeded to distribute the Angolmois capsules throughout Cybertron's populace spreading chaos and dissent, perfect conditions for Unicron's return. When Shokaract seemed to be overwhelmed by a concentrated Maximal/Predacon attack, the Heralds rushed to his aid. They were distracted when [[Magmatron]] pulled Shokaract into limbo, giving [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] an opening to throw a grenade into Thrustor's face. The Heralds seemingly fled with the disappearance of Shokaract and the failure of Unicron's plan. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending #4}}
{{-}}
==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BWII-toy Thrust.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]
*'''Thrust''' (Basic, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-15''',
**''Accessories:'' "Thrust Gun" body and barrel

: Thrust is a [[redeco]] of the ''[[Machine Wars]]'' [[Megaplex]]/[[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]] mold, transforming from a Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet to robot mode with a spring-loaded one-step transformation. The two halves of his "Thrust Gun" rifle store in the back of his robot-mode legs. He has a Predacon [[rubsign]] underneath his port wing.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Wind Sheer (RID)|Wind Sheer]] and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' [[Air Hunter]].''

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Thrust/thrust.htm More information on Thrust at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
*'''Sea Horizon Showdown: Scuba VS Thrust''' (VS pack, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''VS-15'''
**''Accessories:'' "Thrust Gun" body and barrel

:Thrust was also available in a two-pack with [[Scuba]]. Both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}
[[Image:BWII-toy Thrustor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Now bend over." "Hahahaha!" "No, seriously."]]
*'''Thrustor''' (Deluxe Cyborg Beast, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-26'''
**''Accessories:'' "[[Cyber-slash tail weapon|Raptor Shield]]", missile launcher, "Dino Missile", "Trash Horn" sword

: Thrustor is an extensively-remolded version of the first ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] toy, with roughly half its parts turned into disorganized machinery. He has an impressive amount of weaponry; this beast-mode tail splits open to become a "Raptor Shield" spinning blade weapon, plus reveal a hand-held spring-loaded missile launcher with a claw-tipped missile. He also has a new sword that attaches to his robot-mode leg.

: The original version of this mold was also used to make [[Dinotron]], ''Beast Wars'' [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], ''[[Dinobots (toyline)|Dinobots]]'' [[Grimlock (Dinobots)|Grimlock]], and ''[[Beast Wars Neo (toyline)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' [[Hardhead (BWN)|Hardhead]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Thrustor/thrustor.htm More information on Thrustor at TFU.info]''

[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Destrons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

Dirge (BW)

2010-08-07T10:13:30Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|predacon}}
{{disambig3|Dirge}}
:''Dirge is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Combatron (BWII)|Combatron]] later a [[Cyborg Beast]] from the [[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]]. Upon receiving a new body, he took the name '''Dirgegun'''.''

[[Image:BWIIDirgeGuidebook.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Ehehehehe! You see? You never quite know what he's going to do! He's so spontaneous."]]
'''Dirge''' is almost inseparable from his partner and best friend, [[Thrust (BWII)|Thrust]]. Insult comedy is one of his favorite pastimes, and he enjoys throwing biting remarks left and right. Dirge is also a Cybertronian gourmet. He can give high-energy fuels higher potency and better flavor. [[Oil]] is one of his favorite substances to work with, and he is known for his very intense brews. Along with Thrust, Dirge has a rivalry with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] air warriors [[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]] and [[BB]].

Dirge was mutated into '''Dirgegun''' by [[Angolmois]] energy. His insulting comedic personality has now been enhanced to include cruel pranks as well, and he is a much more powerful warrior who can no longer be taken lightly by any member of the Maximal Army.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Eiji Takemoto]] (Japanese)

[[Image:DirgegunMovie1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The Naked Gun? Let's hope not]]
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
===Theft of the Golden Disk===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Frank Todaro]] (English)

Dirge worked for the crime lord [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] and was part of the team he sent to steal the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. While [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] handled [[Maximal Command Security Force|the filth]], Dirge took the stolen data revealing the location of the Disk to Cryotek. Unfortunately for him, Megatron had switched the data with a Maximal tracking device, causing Dirge and his boss to be arrested for the theft while Megatron and his allies got clean away... {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BWII-toy Dirge.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Like the Blue Angels of comedy... one wrong move and they all crash.]]
*'''Dirge''' (Basic, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-14'''
**''Accessories'': "Dirge Gun" rifle & barrel

: A [[redeco]] of the ''[[Machine Wars]]'' [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]/[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] mold, Dirge transforms from a [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Dassault Rafale|Dassault Rafale fighter jet]] to robot mode with a single-step, spring-loaded transformation. The two halves of his "Dirge Gun" rifle store in his lower legs in jet mode.

: This mold was also used to make [[Skyfire (RID)|Skyfire]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Wingstun]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Dirge/dirge.htm More information on Dirge at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Vspack}}
*'''Showdown on the Land Horizon: Tasmania Kid VS Dirge''' (VS pack, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''VS-14'''
**''Accessories'': "Dirge Gun" rifle & barrel

:Dirge was available both as an individual release and in a two-pack with [[Tasmania Kid]]. Both toys are identical to their original releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|Dirgegun}}
[[Image:BWII-toy Dirgegun.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Fullmetal Waspinator]]
*'''Dirgegun''' (Deluxe Cyborg Beast, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-26'''
**''Accessories'': "Needle Shot" missile launcher, 2 missiles

: An extensive [[retool]] of the original ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] mold, Dirgegun transforms into a cyborg wasp. His stinger becomes a hand-held "Needle Shot" spring-loaded missile launcher; the missiles are hidden in each of his wings. These missiles can also be used in the launcher mounted on his beast-mode back. This mold has a pop-up gun in place of the [[mutant head]] found on the original, meaning you have to flip his head down if you want to use this feature in robot mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/DirgeGun/dirgegun.htm More information on Dirgegun at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
*[http://www18.tok2.com/home/jackhama/transformers/bw2seal_2/img/047.jpg A Japanese trading card] Romanizes this character's name as "'''Darge'''". Needless to say, nobody takes this seriously.
*In ''Theft of the Golden Disk'', Dirge plays the part of [[wikipedia:Peter_Lorre|Peter Lorre]], with vocal stylings to match. Like [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], this only worked so well.

[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Destrons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]

Starscream (BW)

2010-08-07T10:12:57Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|predacon|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Starscream}}
:''Starscream is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Combatron (BWII)|Combatron]] later a [[Cyborg Beast]] from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:BWIIStarscreamVideoBox.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Probably sounds just like [[wikipedia:Maximillion Pegasus|Maximillion Pegasus]].]]
'''Starscream''' is the effeminate [[Air Commander]] of [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]'s Predacons on [[Gaea]]. He is partnered with the dull-witted [[BB]]; strangely, he seems to interpret BB's grunts of "Roger" into actual sentences. Though ridiculously girly, he is in reality a treacherous little so-and-so who will take any opportunity to seize power, much as [[Starscream (G1)|his namesake]]. He hates the other Predacon Jet Warriors, [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]] and [[Thrust (BWII)|Thrust]], considering them simpletons. In jet mode he can combine with BB into the "Formation Scream" which enhances their aerial attack power.

He was later upgraded via [[Angolmois]] energy into '''Hellscream'''.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Hiroki Takahashi]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Girlyscream1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Tee hee!]]
Starscream and BB were the right-hand men of Galvatron and [[Megastorm]] during the Beast Wars on Gaea. Starscream's major role during those Beast Wars, however, was to try and kill his fellow Predacons so he could move up the chain of command (he was gunning for [[Emperor of Destruction]]). At one point, he even went so far as to dunk Megastorm in a pit of pure Angolmois energy, assuming it would kill him. Unfortunately, all it did was upgrade Megastorm into [[Megastorm|Gigastorm]].

Starscream later got his own Angolmois energy upgrade. Gigastorm, hoping to destroy all the [[Maximal|Maximals]] at once, set up a series of bombs and then hid himself behind a mountain. Starscream and BB then showed up and tangled with the Maximals. They lost, but rather than face an honorable defeat, Starscream pleaded for the chance to switch sides and fight against the Predacons. This enraged Gigastorm, who then activated the explosives regardless of Starscream and BB's safety. The pair then fell into a pit of pure Angolmois, supposedly to their doom. However, Starscream weathered it quite well, emerging from the pit in a new cybernetic shark form as "Hellscream".

[[Image:HellscreamMovie1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Artemis has low standards when it comes to men]]
Hellscream and [[BB|Max B]] (the upgraded BB) continued to fight for the Predacons up until the last battle on the artificial planet [[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]]. At the climax of that battle, Galvatron detonated the planet, the explosion sending all the remaining Predacons, Hellscream included, floating helplessly through outer space.
{{-}}
====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
After the defeat of [[Unicron]], Hellscream and the rest of the exiled Predacons were invited back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to help restore their home planet. {{storylink|Graduation Ceremony!!}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}
===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
[[Image:BWAscending3 heralds.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Let's get this rave started! ACEEEEEED!"]]
Starscream first met BB in a Maximal detention center, where he befriended the traumatized giant. During an escape from the prison, Starscream took BB with him, solidifying BB's loyalty to Starscream. {{storylink|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}

At some point, Starscream was reformatted into Hellscream and became one of [[Herald of Unicron|Unicron's heralds]] and subsequently one of [[Herald of Shokaract|Shokaract's Heralds]]. When [[Shokaract]] faced [[Big Convoy]] in battle, Hellscream and the other Heralds returned to Cybertron with, as Hellscream put it, more than enough [[Angolmois]] for Shokaract's eternal glory. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending # 3}} He went on to help spread Angolmois across Cybertron, causing widespread chaos and violence. When Shokaract suddenly disappeared from the battlefield, he and his fellow Heralds temporarily retreated to think up what to do next. 'Next' never happened due to [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] and a grenade, which put an end to the Heralds' deaths. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending # 4}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle'' video game===
When a super-powerful [[Energon crystal]] was discovered on [[Earth]], Starscream was one of the several Predacons involved in the ensuing conflicts. He was not, however, directly involved in combat: instead, sent on missions to traverse pit-riddled fields, occasionally having to fend off enormous bacteria opponents. {{storylink|Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BW2 Starscream toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Soon to be hosting "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy".]]
* '''Starscream and BB''' (Ultra, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-13'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles

: A recolor of [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] with [[Smokescreen (G2)|Smokescreen]], this toy is nearly identical to the unreleased ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron ATB]] with [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] toy. Starscream transforms into a fighter jet of undetermined (probably made-up) model. He has two side-mounted spring-loaded rocket launchers that become hand-weapons in robot mode. He can combine with BB's vehicle mode to form the large Formation Scream stealth bomber jet.

: The stickers on his tailfins and on BB's arms call him "Starscrem." This is easily ignorable as bad [[romanization|transliteration]].

: This mold is also used by ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Smokejumper]] and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' [[Smokesniper]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Stascream/starscream.htm More information on Starscream at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Hellscream}}
[[Image:BWII-toy_Hellscream.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Heart of sharkness.]]
*'''Hellscream''' (Deluxe, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-23'''
**''Accessories:'' Head missile launcher/sword hilt, spear missile, 2 missiles

: An extensive [[retool]]ing of the ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Cybershark]] mold, "Hellscream" now transforms into a heavily-cyborged shark. This toy features a new mechanically styled beast mode head, fins and tail, a new robot mode head, arm, and leg. The beast mode head may be launched in shark mode and used as a hand-weapon in robot mode. The beast mode body/robot mode chest has a flip-up spring-loaded missile launcher that can fire the head or the two missiles that store in Hellscream's back. The tail turbine has a spring-loaded missile launcher as well.

: This mold was slightly [[redeco]]ed to make ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Overbite (Universe)|Overbite]]. A [[retool]] of the original mold was used to make [[Sharp Edge (BWN)|Sharp Edge]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Hellscream/hellscream.htm More information on Hellscream at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
{{charstubtoys}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-toys/toy-gallery/1784/Generation+2/Starscream.html Gallery of G2 Starscream with comparison to BW Starscream at Transformers At the Moon]

[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Destrons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

BB (BW)

2010-08-07T10:12:25Z

125.237.143.160:

{{factions|predacon|unicron}}

:''BB is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Combatron (BWII)|Combatron]] later a [[Cyborg Beast]] from the [[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]] era of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]. He later upgraded into '''Max-B'''.''

[[Image:BB1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|You'll shoot your eye out, kid.]]
'''BB''' is a hulking brute with limited mental capacity and ''very'' limited vocabulary. The only word in his dictionary is "Roger", as a matter of fact. He is perpetually loyal to Predacon Air Commander [[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]] and goes along with all of his treacherous schemes.

BB can combine with Starscream in jet-mode to create the "Formation Scream" which enhances their aerial attack power. At one point, he was upgraded by [[Angolmois]] energy into '''Max-B'''.

==Fiction==
{{cleanup|August 2008|Cartoon coverage needs expansion and storylinks.}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Takeshi Watanabe]] (Japanese)

[[Image:NewForces CybertronBBStarscream.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Get em' Knuckles!"]]
Starscream was the brains of the Predacon [[Combatron (BWII)|air warriors]] and BB was the brawn (while [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]] and [[Thrust (BWII)|Thrust]] were the oafs). BB aided Starscream in numerous plots to overthrow [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] and take leadership of the Predacons, even going so far as to dunk [[Megastorm]] into a pit of [[Angolmois]] energy (this, however, only upgraded Megastorm into [[Megastorm|Gigastorm]]).

They continued this for quite some time until, eventually, Gigastorm had enough. While battling the Maximals, Starscream and BB fell into a trap Gigastorm had set for the Maximals (an area riddled with bombs). Gigastorm held off at first, but after the Predacons were defeated, Starscream began to beg for mercy and even offered to switch sides. This disgusted Gigastorm, who then activated the explosives. The explosion dropped Starscream and BB into a pit of Angolmois energy which upgraded them into Hellscream (a flying cybernetic shark) and Max-B (a flying cybernetic wolf).

[[Image:MaxBMovie1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Mighty Max!]]
As Max-B, he still continued to follow his partner Hellscream and fight against the Maximals up until the final battle on the artificial planet [[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]]. At the climax of that battle, Galvatron detonated the planet, sending all the remaining Predacons (including Max-B) floating helplessly through outer space.
{{-}}
====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
After the defeat of [[Unicron]], all the exiled Predacons were invited back to Cybertron to help rebuild their desolated planet.
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}
===Intimidation Game===
Max-B, apparently a [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] follower, was present at [[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]]'s interrogation of the captured Tripredacus Agent [[Flamewar]]. He was initially disguised as the Maximal [[K-9]]. {{storylink|Intimidation Game}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
[[Image:BWAscending3 heralds.jpg|left|150px|thumb|I mean... "Roger".]]
BB was traumatized in a Maximal Prison "re-education center" before the [[Pax Cybertronia]], and due to the psychological damage, retreated into himself and says only "Roger". He befriended Starscream at this time and his loyalty to the smaller robot was cemented when Starscream took BB with him during his escape from the facility. {{storylink|Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook issue 1}}

At some point, BB was reformatted into Max B. His continuing loyalty to Starscream (now Hellscream) saw Max B become a [[Herald of Unicron|servant of Unircon]] and therefore a [[Herald of Shokaract]]. When [[Shokaract]], the vessel for [[Unicron]]'s return, engaged the Maximal field commander [[Big Convoy]], Max B and the other Heralds arrived on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with [[Angolmois]] capsules from the furthest reaches of the galaxy. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3}} They proceeded to distribute the Angolmois amongst Cybertron's population, causing a frenzy of violence of mayhem. The Heralds fled when Shokaract disappeared and they were defeated by [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] with a well-thrown grenade. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4}}
{{-}}
==Games==
===''Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle'' video game===
When a super-powerful [[Energon crystal]] was discovered on [[Earth]], BB was one of the several Predacons involved in the ensuing conflicts. He was not, however, directly involved in combat: instead, sent on missions to traverse pit-riddled fields, occasionally having to fend off enormous bacteria opponents. {{storylink|Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BW2 BB toy.jpg|right|350px|thumb|It is unknown at this time exactly how illin' his gatling gun is.]]
*'''Starscream & BB''' (Ultra, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-13'''
**''Accessories'': 12 missiles

: Aside from some minor deco changes (mostly involving new decals) and a ''very'' minor [[retool]], this toy is identical to the canceled ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron ATB]] with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. BB transforms into a "flying wing" style stealth bomber with under-slung six-missile Gatling cannon. Each wing holds three missiles, which can be dropped by pressing small buttons on the tops of the wings. He can also transform into a treaded "tank" mode. In jet form, he can combine with Starscream's jet mode to make a complete aircraft. He and Starscream always came as a pair.

: This mold was also used to make ''Generation 2'' [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dreadwind (RID)|Dreadwind]], and ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' [[Gigant Bomb]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/BB/bb.htm More information on BB at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|VsBighorn}}
*'''Bighorn vs Starscream & BB''' (Multi-pack, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''VS-13'''
**''Accessories'': 12 missiles

: The pairing of Starscream and BB were also made available in a multi-pack with the [[Maximal]] [[Bighorn]].

{{-}}{{anchor|MaxB}}
[[Image:BWII-toy MaxB.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Suddenly, the robot arms hanging off the dog chest are a lot less noticeable.]]
* '''Max-B''' (Deluxe, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-24'''
**''Accessories'': Back-shield, tail-cannon, 2 anchor-missiles

: BB's upgrade is a heavily [[retool]]ed version of [[K-9]], itself an extensive retool of the ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]] mold. In cyborg wolf mode, his back contains a spring-loaded missile launcher and spring-activated grabber claw. This entire assembly becomes a very unwieldy hand-held weapon for robot mode. His tail detaches to become a hand-weapon as well, also containing a spring-loaded missile launcher. Max B's missiles store in grooves on his back, giving him a pair of spikes in his tummy.

: The original incarnation of this mold was also used to make the Predacon [[Wolfang (Predacon)|Wolfang]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/MaxB/maxb.htm More information on Max-B at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:SourcebookBB.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I did this all just for you, Starscream.]]
* According to a humorous comic strip from ''[[Comic Bom Bom]]'', BB's name actually stands for "'''B'''om '''B'''om" because he is a regular reader of ''Comic Bom Bom''.
* BB is (strangely) a golden orange color in his IDW ''[[Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' profile entry.<ref>''[[Beast Wars Sourcebook]]''</ref> The profile's author [[Ben Yee]] has gone on the record that this is in fact an error of the colorist.<ref>[http://www.bwtf.com/comicbooks/idw/bwsourcebook1/ BWTF Review/Commentary on Beast Wars Sourcebook 1]</ref> It was corrected in the trade paperback.
{{-}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-toys/toy-gallery/1783/Generation+2/Megatron+ATB.html Gallery of ATB Megatron with comparison to BB at Transformers At the Moon]

[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Destrons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

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